Over the last 10 years a joint industry project has run, the HITS JIP, managed by EM&I, to encourage the development of safer and more productive inspection techniques for FPSOs, e.g. diverless methods and remote inspection of confined spaces. These techniques have gained increasing employment, and the HITS JIP has been an important contributor to that.

The objective of this Hull Structural Integrity (HSI) Open Forum is to discuss in a wider group the structural integrity challenges faced by operators, class and regulators, and identify ways forward to find practical solutions.

We believe that the HSI Open Forum will build on the success of the HITS JIP by inviting the drilling, floating gas and floating wind sectors, and adding repair & maintenance challenges and solutions.

Subjects to discuss in the forum

• Risk Based Inspection methods
• Remote inspection methods
• Robotic corrosion protection methods
• Structural condition monitoring
• Robotic repair and maintenance techniques – above and below water
• Class perspectives on above topics

The program also covers a report on the latest results of the final phase of HITS – the practical testing of inspection techniques for bottom plating of cargo tanks, with minimal cleaning. If this shows promise, then it will prove vital to get class opinions on the extent and location of coverage needed to reduce human entry into these confined spaces. The results of these evaluations will be published in early 2026.