What are underwater inspections for?

What is the purpose of underwater inspections?

Underwater inspections are used to assess the condition and performance of submerged structures such as bridges, dams, pipelines, underwater cables, oil platforms and ship hulls.

These inspections detect signs of corrosion, degradation, cracks and other damage caused by impacts and the accumulation of debris or sediments.

Underwater inspections also aim to collect measurement and mapping data for the design and construction of new underwater structures, or to carry out repairs on existing structures.

They are therefore essential for maintaining the safety and reliability of underwater structures, which may be exposed to extreme environments. Regular monitoring of these structures allows potential problems to be identified before they become critical situations, minimising the risk of failure and repair costs for companies.

These inspections are therefore frequently requested by companies in sectors such as water treatment, renewable energy and all types of nautical activities.

The main types of underwater inspections

Underwater inspections can take various forms, depending on the need and the structure under investigation. Among them, we can mention in particular:

• Visual inspection: divers or underwater robots are used to visually examine the underwater structure.
• Ultrasonic inspection, which measures the thickness of materials in the underwater structure.
• Magnetic field inspection.
• X-ray inspection, using X-rays or gamma rays to detect potential defects.
• Video inspection: drones or video cameras are used to record images of parts of the underwater structure, allowing them to be examined from a distance. Photogrammetry can then be used to reconstruct the structure in 3D.
• Sounding inspection: measuring instruments are used to measure the physical properties of the underwater structure, such as density and hardness. This method can be used to detect weakened or damaged areas of the structure.

Seanergy is based in Reunion and offers all types of underwater inspections in the Indian Ocean. Would you like to know more or do you need to call on us for your project? We invite you to contact us via our form.