A few weeks ago, I found myself speaking with Rob Hodgetts of Superyacht Investor about our approach to superyacht surveys in the context of the possible future role of AI (artificial intelligence) in yacht surveys. Rob wondered if our profession might be a prime target for the introduction of AI based survey systems that could displace the role of the surveyor. As he put it, “Is AI the future of superyacht surveys?” I argued strongly that I felt that this would not be the case, for many reasons: firstly, because although we’re inspecting and assessing systems and structures, (ie the hardware) the quality and nature of our interaction with crew and managers (ie the software) is what determines the successful outcome of our work; secondly, that in the larger end of the superyacht market (ie 50m and above) series production yachts are few and far between, so there is no standardisation and repetition; and thirdly, that we start each survey with no baseline to refer to, so we have to build up our own knowledge and understanding of the yacht, it’s systems and their condition, from scratch each time. These points are equally applicable whether we’re undertaking a pre-purchase condition survey, new build or refit supervision, or investigating damage as part of our work for insurance underwriters. AI works best with repetition and order. The surveyor’s expertise is in creating understanding based on enquiry and experience. This article looks at these points in greater detail.
Hardware vs software
When we step onboard a yacht at 0830 on day 1 of a pre purchase survey, the first thing we do is sit down and have a cup of tea. Given the tight timeframes we work to, this might be a strange allocation of priorities. However, we know from experience that time spent at the start getting to know the Captain, Chief Officer and Chief Engineer is time well spent: we need their buy in and support to get through our extensive survey and sea trial protocols. By explaining our process and priorities and by listening to any feedback or concerns and adjusting our survey plan if needed, we start to build a working relationship that will enable us to complete the survey as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are acutely aware (having been Captains and Chief Engineers ourselves) what it is like to have a team of surveyors arrive onboard and go through every aspect of the yacht, right down to the finest details. Getting buy in at the outset is important. Keeping that support throughout the survey is essential; we aim to reach the end of the survey with the crew’s goodwill and support intact, by being professional and working efficiently.
Investigating damage as part of an insurance survey requires us to report to underwriters on damage to the yacht or it’s systems, so of course we’re looking at the hardware. However, understanding the circumstances of an incident and the human factors that were involved can only be achieved by building a working relationship and understanding with the crew.
In each case, we’re there to survey and report on the hardware, but the quality of the outcome depends on our interaction with the crew. We don’t believe that this can be replicated by AI based survey systems.
Custom vs Production
At the smaller end of the superyacht market (ie below 50 metres in length) there are production boatbuilders selling identikit production boats that might lend themselves to machine learning and AI as part of the survey process. Above 50 metres in length, this is rare and gets rarer still with size. Whilst it may be argued that there are larger production yachts (thinking perhaps about yachts from Amels, Heesen and Feadship) the reality is that these yachts are usually semi-custom. As yachts increase in size, the more they become fully custom. For this reason, we believe that the top end of the superyacht market is poorly suited to AI based surveying due to small sample sizes and lack of commonality.
Lack of baseline
As I write this article I’m flying at 38,000 feet, heading towards another survey. The team are due to start a pre purchase survey on a yacht tomorrow morning, for which I’ve allowed 4 days onboard. Of course we’ve reviewed drawings, specifications and certificates ahead of time, but for this survey, as for every other survey, we’ll start work tomorrow with no baseline from which to work from. Although we’ve surveyed many other yachts from the same builder, and although we can therefore expect to find similarities with those previous yachts, we will have to build up our own knowledge and understanding of this yacht, it’s systems and their condition, based on asking the right questions at the right time. Of course, we read across from our experience with other yachts and other surveys: after all, every yacht will need the same systems in order to operate, and there are only so many ways that you can configure the layout, even on much larger yachts, but each survey is a fresh start. Without a baseline to refer to, we find it hard to see how see how AI based survey tools can be effective, as they will lack the ‘before’ against which to compare the ‘after’, or the ‘as is’ as opposed to ‘as it should be’. This same logic applies as much to post casualty damage surveys as it does to pre purchase condition surveys.
Turning ‘chaos’ into order
If surveying was as simple as scanning a camera around a compartment and asking it to tell you what is wrong, I’d be packing my bag and preparing to sail off over the horizon, leaving work behind me. But life as a surveyor isn’t like that: the long list of certificates and documents that you need to review and had asked for ahead of the survey in soft copy is piled up in ring binders on the chart table, ready for you to go through page by page. Similarly, the service and refit records are all in A4 files or on the yacht’s PMS (planned maintenance system) programme. In each instance, you as the surveyor need to sit down with the crew and go through them together, discussing and clarifying issues as you go. Class records will be online, but you may only be allowed to borrow the laptop in the ship’s office for a quick look. We ask for compartments to be free of stowed gear and obstructions, but you’ll find them crammed full of gear and will have to contort yourself to view what you need to see. We ask that no other major work is ongoing whilst the survey is happening, but how many times have we undertaken surveys just as the yacht emerges from a winter yard period and is rushing to meet their first operational commitment at the start of the season. Or else we find that the survey is squeezed in between charters or owner’s trips. This is the reality of our world: the real world in which we adapt to whatever we find and get the job done regardless. We see it is a long way away from the neat, organised, logical world in which AI might do well. By contrast, our surveyors take a deep breath, possibly have another cup of tea, and just get on with the survey.
Following your intuition
As we grow as a company, we take on new surveyors. Some will have had very successful seagoing careers as superyacht Captains and Chief Engineers and then decided that marine surveying offers them an opportunity for a fulfilling shoreside career. To make this happen, they will have followed one of the remote learning courses on the market, from which they obtain a lot of knowledge and a nice diploma. Our challenge is to build on this training by helping them to apply it to surveying in the real world, and to add the missing ingredient: intuition. This is the intuition that helps an experienced surveyor to ask the right questions, to persevere in getting into the most inaccessible spot because he suspects there might be a problem lurking hidden behind a panel or a maze of pipes, or to join the dots in what might initially appear to be unrelated issues. Intuition cannot be taught; it has to be nurtured and gained through experience. It is at the heart of how we work as surveyors. It is something that machine learning and algorithms will always struggle with, as our world isn’t always linear and sometimes the dots do join up, but in some very roundabout ways. Perhaps that’s why the job is so fascinating!
Harnessing the right type of technology
Whilst I don’t see Yacht Survey Partners embracing AI based survey tools for the reasons explained above, we absolutely embrace the use of technology in our survey process. Since founding the business, I’ve been determined that we should take advantage of technology to improve the efficiency of our survey process. We did so by adopting and heavily customising an industry standard platform that allows our surveyors to work through their smartphones, collecting comments, photos, documents and locations, with the ability to share notes and to collaborate effectively. In this way, the progress of the survey can be tracked in real time, problems highlighted and solutions proposed. Once completed, the survey portal provides a powerful tool for the owner, crew, managers and shipyards to prioritise and plan future work.
Where might there be a role for AI?
I’ve spoken a lot about why I don’t think that there’s a role for AI based survey tools in surveying superyachts, but I wouldn’t wish to dismiss it entirely. In fact, one area that might be well suited is for periodic surveys by Class surveyors in which they return to the same yacht and the same systems and ask the same questions against a known baseline, year after year. Another area is for OEM service technicians in providing support for their installed systems. Of course, some of the challenges outlined above will dog them in their potential use of AI as well, but it could certainly present some interesting opportunities.
Conclusions
There is no doubt in my mind that AI will change so much in our World: whether for better or worse remains to be seen. However, when it comes to surveying the World’s superyacht fleet I think that AI based survey systems will struggle for the reasons I’ve outlined: that although we’re surveying hardware, we can only do so by working closely with the crew….the software; that there’s too little uniformity at the top end of the superyacht market, because by definition we’re dealing with the ultimate custom built product; that there’s a lack of baselines, meaning that each survey starts from fresh; that the survey environment is rarely neat, logical and ordered, meaning that we have to work around what we find; and that the process relies on the intuition and experience of the surveyor to be successful.
Maybe one day it’ll turnout that I’m behind the technology curve and possibly called a Luddite, but for us, it still comes down to a cup of tea and a Hobnob!
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About us
Yacht Survey Partners are global dedicated superyacht surveyors; we do nothing else. We are currently active in the UK, USA, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Malta, the Caribbean and further afield, undertaking pre purchase surveys, pre-sale surveys, condition surveys, insurance damage surveys and providing advice to buyers, owners, family offices, brokers, managers, insurers, lawyers and shipyards. Our surveyors are located in London, Palma, Barcelona, Antibes, Monaco, Genoa, Fort Lauderdale and Hong Kong.