Artic is changing faster than the rest of the world
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Hydropower is the most commonly used renewable energy source, accounting for around 17% of all global energy production.
In the U.S.A. more electricity is produced by hydroelectric facilities and dams than all the combination wind, solar and geothermal power.
Yet many of these facilities and plants are among the oldest power plants , with the average installation in service for over 64 years.
As these aging structures near the end of their design life, the need to detect repairs is becoming increasingly critical. The pressure is on to continue to keep the lights on, not just for the energy needs of today, but also for the needs of the future.
Utility owners, asset managers and contractors are gradually turning to drones, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) fitted with sonar optical sensors, cameras, infrared imaging and other sensors.
These systems provide a safe, secure and cost-effective solution versus hiring or deploying professional dive teams for emergency or routine inspections.
And these underwater 4K drones are playing a key role in Alleviating downtime, reducing outages and preventing disastrous accidents.
There are occasions when an underwater drone ROV is the first and only option. Dropping 100 feet or more below the surface, for instance, is extremely dangerous for traditional divers and manual methods. In deep water situations , enclosed spaces or unknown environments can be extremely dangerous for a diver and only drones can safely do the job.
In comparison to the high costs and lead times associated with professional dive teams, the OoKeani-luure advanced Underwater ROV bundle allows preventive and proactive maintenance checks at any time to prolong the life of the dam or asset.
Many of these facilities were supposed to be replaced by now, so it’s either 24/7/365 proactively monitoring and inspecting or risk a public relations disaster and possible human catastrophe.
Underwater drone ROVs are going to get into tough places at a much lower cost and in a much quicker and efficient way. They help create a strategy for high-priority facilities and structures to decide how to avoid major disasters and what can be left alone for a while.
The ability to remotely assess the condition of hydro structures is incredibly efficient and cost-saving,” Blueye CTO Jonas Follesø said. “The Blueye Pro is small, so it can be easily transported and can inspect inside tight spaces where humans can’t reach. At the same time, it’s also powerful and robust.”
Many regulatory guidelines require asset owners to become increasingly proactive with inspections, thus reliance on underwater inspections utilizing ROVs’ will only increase the added benefits.
Covid-19 has told a very valuable narrative for the cruise industry in 2020 and the future.
It has crippled one of the industry’s brightest stars. And with High-profile outbreaks, no-sail orders and lock-downs it has also taken the crowns of several smaller brands, thus drastically reversing the fortunes of the most dominant players.
Revenues dropped around 85-99% for the three major operators and the number of passengers is projected to decline from over 30 million in 2019 to very low millions in 2020.
The industry became especially vulnerable to Covid-19, but with some better safety and security precautions and a little bit of contactless Facial Recognition & AI software, it could come back as strong as ever.
Nobody expects that the cruise industry will suddenly bounce back bigger and brighter than ever tomorrow though.
It must restore trust and confidence—with passengers, authorities and the general public. The leaders in the industry must progressively extend operations with a strategy that emphasizes on safety, security and overall protection and reduction of the risk of infection. And not just Covid-19, but what how can they adapt and be smarter for future viruses or pandemics.
When a cruise ship has been inspected, licensed, disinfected and regularly audited for all of the above to ensure that management processes, policies, routines and risk-mitigation measures meet with comparable hospital and NASA like requirements, confidence can be regained.
Millions of cruise fans are excited to get back on board and travel, but they are still nervous about infection. They are nervous about the spread. They are nervous about surviving.
As part of the marketing and advertisement strategy, cruise ship leaders should rely on trustworthy grooming , disinfecting, inspection and cleaning processes and rituals when describing how this would not compromise the overall traveler experience, so peace of mind is paramount.
Covid-19 has shown the world that while we are all connected, it is also very very divided.
Different countries have adopted very different approaches and policies to combating it.
At the same time, evidence suggests the virus takes hold in different places, at varying times and in all sorts of ways.
Ports, harbors and port authorities are keen to show their commitment to the safety and security of society and can demand their own requirements, generating uncertainty for cruise operators.
For example, Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board designed and developed
Cruise-Safe. It’s a policy and procedure framework benchmarked against local and global standards and protocols for which DNV GL was entrusted with the creation of a cruise compliance audit and certification program.
The framework and standard was based on the experience of specific credentials that came from more than 600 hospitals.