A conference on current issues and legislative application during underwater inspections of vessels in Russian seaports was held at the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences in two stages: Moscow and Gelendzhik. Organized by JSC CNIIMF, the event brought together representatives of government agencies, as well as executives and employees of public and private organizations from across Russia.

During the first stage, participants shared their experience in conducting underwater hull inspections of ships, discussed the main challenges encountered during this type of work, a unified inspection procedure, and proposed amendments to existing regulations.

During a discussion of the technical features of underwater hull inspections, Andrey Elkin, a research fellow at the Underwater Video Equipment Laboratory at the IO RAS, presented a remotely operated unmanned underwater vehicle from the "GNOM" family. This easy-to-control, compact, and maneuverable robot, combined with all-round sonars or multibeam echo sounders, provides high-quality visual inspection of a vessel's surface even in limited visibility. Adapted to customer requirements, the "GNOM" family of vehicles is successfully used by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Prosecutor General's Office, Rosatom, major oil and gas companies, and divers.

The conference continued on April 23 and 24 at the Southern Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where the capabilities of underwater robots were demonstrated in real-life conditions. Addressing the event's participants with a welcoming speech, Yefim Bezdudny, Director of the Southern Branch of the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted the importance of the issues under discussion and outlined the department's ongoing research. "Eighty years of scientific experience, combined with the integrated approach offered by the Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and its own infrastructure—a marine testing ground and a research fleet—allow us to conduct comprehensive ocean research, encompassing the physical, chemical, biological, and geological processes, as well as address related challenges dictated by modern reality," noted Yefim Bezdudny.

The conference was attended by over 50 specialists from the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Morspassluzhba," Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Saint Petersburg Marine Technical University, the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Black Sea Marine Administration," Gazprom, Novorossiysk Seaport, Tazmar LLC, Griffon LLC, and other developers and operators of underwater robots, as well as companies interested in their services.

Photo by: E.V. Bezdudny