Lloyd’s Register demonstrates remote class survey capabilities using live vessel data

British class society Lloyd’s Register (LR) and Greek shipowner Latsco have completed a proof-of-concept for a new standard in digital class assurance with data-driven surveys.

This collaboration aims to demonstrate how verified operational vessel data can fully meet class survey requirements, without compromising safety, integrity, or technical rigour.

The proof-of-concept was conducted on the 2017-built tanker Hellas Margarita during an active voyage to Singapore. Using LR’s digital survey test procedure, the project team remotely tested, recorded and verified the vessel’s auxiliary engine alarms, controls, shutdowns, and safety systems through raw data capture.

The process was then validated by a physical inspection, confirming that the digital approach using the data delivered the same level of assurance, accuracy, and safety as traditional methods.

The results confirmed that data-driven methodologies can match and potentially exceed the technical assurance and data integrity of conventional onboard physical surveys. While existing regulations still require physical attendance for survey requirements, this project demonstrates how verified operational data could allow for more efficient, transparent, and scalable compliance processes, reducing the need for physical attendance and enabling smarter fleet management.

Following the project’s success, LR and Latsco plan to jointly extend the methodology test across additional vessels and systems to validate the framework’s repeatability with the aim of establishing a pilot scheme for digital class assurance.

“By validating the use of verified operational data for survey assurance, we’re taking an important step towards a smarter, more connected maritime industry,” said Elina Papageorgiou, VP for Greece and Cyprus at Lloyd’s Register.

“This initiative proves that trusted operational data can be used to credit survey requirements without compromising safety or technical integrity, while giving our vessels greater flexibility within increasingly tight trading schedules,” said Antonis Georgantzis, COO at Latsco.

source: CSN