Idwal, a specialist in ship pre-purchase inspections, has unveiled its latest product – Idwal ID, a digital platform which the company hopes will help to redefine the landscape of maritime inspections. The company aims to improve standardisation in fleet inspections, offering a comprehensive condition improvement program which feature a detailed analysis of individual assets within fleets.
Founded in 2010, the company’s success in vessel inspections has positioned it as a market leader. Based in Cardiff, UK, they also have offices in Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo and Athens, and with an extensive surveyor network around the globe. The company believes that the launch of the new software demonstrates its commitment to improving the standardisation of inspections.
Idwal has inspected 12 per cent of shipping’s global fleet. The company has performed more than 12,500 inspections since 2019 across 90 countries, which equates to an average of 10-12 inspections per day last year. This allows them to leverage 10 million data points gathered over the past four years to provide grade analytics, benchmarking assets, vessels and fleets against global averages.
“Idwal ID minimises manual processes and reduces the workload for technical teams,” says George Haysom, CCO at Idwal. “In addition, instant access to both the granular detail of individual inspection reports and high-level benchmarking against the global fleet enables recommendations that non-technical people can understand, which technical people can then drill into and implement,” he said.
The adaptable nature of the software allows users to conduct a deep dive into individual assets within a fleet and investigate specific engineering issues. The platform enables users to analyse all defects across a fleet and compare them to other vessels globally, providing valuable insights for optimizing maintenance strategies.
The Idwal ID checklist, comprising detailed inspection parameters, goes beyond conventional assessments. Users can break down items into micro data-points, such as whether a vessel has Wi-Fi for crew members and the speed of the connection. This level of granularity offers a comprehensive view of the vessel’s operational and crew-related aspects. Notably the system’s data points also include the ability to submit reports on the welfare of the crew.
Usage of Idwal ID is not limited to individual shipowners. The platform is also available for use by classification societies, further promoting standardisation of knowledge and fleet monitoring within the maritime industry. This inclusivity ensures that the benefits of Idwal ID extend beyond individual fleets to contribute to the overall enhancement of industry practices.
S&P activity in the global fleet tends to focusing on older vessels which change owners more often. Ship value relies on financial and physical conditions. As a result inspections are crucial to maintain assurance for new owners. Remote inspections by surveyors offer a timely solution, however, in the past many of these have not been standardised.
These inspections typically cover hull, coatings, decks, machinery, bridge, cargo areas, and performance data, with additional buyer requests added as and when is necessary. Sellers commonly arrange inspections with survey companies, causing delays and logistical challenges. Black swan events such as Covid, or ships being stuck in port due to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine can also lengthen these delays. To mitigate this, digital platforms enable remote inspections, allowing crews to conduct assessments without disruptions.
“Idwal ID is not just a digital platform; it’s a commitment to improving industry standards,” said Nick Owens, CEO at Idwal, who emphasised the platform’s transformative impact. “We’re proud to lead the charge in transforming how inspections are conducted and raising the bar for fleet management practices,” he added.
The company aims to improve and expand the capability of the software over the next year. In a forward-thinking move, Idwal plans to integrate incident and accident data into the platform in the future enhancing the platform’s capabilities for risk assessment and management. Additionally, information to track the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating of a vessel will be added, enhancing the use
