inspections - MarineCraft

Lifeboat Systems: Types, Release Mechanisms & SOLAS Requirements Explained

August 5, 2026June 30, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

Modern SOLAS-compliant lifeboats are engineered systems, not simply evacuation boats. Understanding their types, launching mechanisms, and regulatory requirements is essential for shipowners, operators, and safety management professionals. Improper testing, misaligned interlocks, and poor crew familiarity with release procedures are consistently among the most common causes of life-saving appliance deficiencies in PSC inspections.

Drone Inspection vs. Traditional Methods: A Cost and Risk Comparison

July 24, 2026June 5, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

Sending a drone where a rope access technician used to go is not just faster. It changes the economics, the safety profile, and the quality of data you get back. But drone inspection is not a wholesale replacement for traditional methods, and knowing when to use which approach is where most operators are still finding their footing.

What to Look for in a Professional Drone Training Programme for Maritime Operations

July 24, 2026June 2, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

As drones become embedded in inspection, surveillance, mapping, and emergency response workflows, the quality of training has a direct impact on safety, compliance, and return on investment. For maritime and oil and gas operators, selecting a professional drone training programme is no longer a question of price. It is a question of whether pilots will be operationally competent, regulation-literate, and prepared for real-world industrial and offshore environments.

SOLAS Compliance for Life-Saving Appliances: What Ship Operators Get Wrong

July 24, 2026May 24, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

SOLAS life-saving appliance requirements are among the most detailed and most frequently deficient areas in port state control inspections worldwide. The gap between what operators think they are doing and what the Convention actually requires is wider than most realise.

Why Welding Certification Matters More Than Ever in Offshore Fabrication

July 24, 2026May 18, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

As offshore projects grow more technically demanding and regulatory oversight tightens across Southeast Asia, the question of who certifies your welders, and to what standard, has become a frontline project risk issue.

Class Surveys, Flag State Surveys & Port State Control: Key Differences Explained

August 5, 2026April 28, 2026 by MarineCraft Journal

Large Ship named Oliter Freya docked at a port of call

Class surveys, flag state surveys, and Port State Control inspections each serve a different authority, follow different rules, and affect a vessel’s licence to trade in distinct ways. Understanding how they interact is fundamental to sound ship management, and to knowing which gaps in compliance carry the most commercial and operational risk.