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Video is the most honest record of what lies under a ship. People disagree about words, but a clear clip of a damaged plate or a clean Hull is hard to argue with. Our underwater video inspection in Nagoya is built around that fact.
The reasons vary. A technical manager wants to see whether cleaning worked. A charterer wants proof of the Hull condition at delivery. A P&I club wants evidence after a berth contact. A buyer wants to check the ship before paying. In each case, a time-stamped video with the ship's name and Draft visible is far stronger than a handwritten note from a Diver.
Most of our video comes from the Diver's camera, because it gives close control and good lighting on the plating. For tight spaces, such as a thruster tunnel entrance or the area behind the rudder, a small ROV may be used if the conditions allow. We choose the method for the job and say which one was used in the report. Neither is better in every case.
A useful clip is steady, close enough to show detail, and slow enough to follow. Each area starts with a reference shot, such as a draft mark or a section number, so the viewer knows where he is. We avoid long wandering shots and cut the delivered clips into short, labelled files.
Videos are delivered in common formats that open on any office computer. Photographs are exported from the footage and from separate camera stills. We keep the original recordings for a stated period, usually 12 months, and can send them again if needed. The files are named by ship, date and area.
The same footage helps repair planning, claims, coating reviews and crew training. Some owners keep a video record after each call, so they can compare the Hull over time and decide when cleaning or dry-docking is really needed.
Footage is only useful if it shows the right things. Before the dive we agree with the owner or the surveyor what must be filmed: the full Hull, selected areas, or one specific damage. A short list prevents hours of unnecessary video and helps us focus the dive on what matters. When the purpose is a claim, we also film the surrounding undamaged plating, so the damage can be judged in context.
Hull footage can be commercially sensitive, especially when it shows damage or a poor coating. We deliver files only to the party who ordered the work, and we do not publish or share footage without permission. If an owner needs the files held back from a charterer or an agent, we follow his instruction and keep the originals in secure storage.
Q1. How long are the video files?
A full hull dive on a 180 to 200 m ship produces 3 to 6 hours of raw footage. Delivered clips are cut into short labelled files, usually 1 to 5 minutes each.
Q2. How long do you keep the original recordings?
We keep original recordings for a stated period, commonly 12 months, and can resend them on request.
Q3. Is an ROV or a Diver camera used?
Usually a Diver camera. A compact ROV can be used for confined areas such as thruster tunnels when conditions allow. The report states which was used.
Q4. Can video be used as evidence in a claim?
Time-stamped footage with the ship name, date and position visible is commonly accepted by P&I clubs and charterers as supporting evidence, though the final decision rests with the party reviewing the claim.
