DNV celebrated the tenth anniversary of its DATE (Direct Access to Technical Experts) centre in Singapore with an event attended by 120 customers and guests. The Asia helpdesk was set up to support ship managers and owners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and became the first to operate outside DNV’s headquarters in Norway on 3 December 2012.
As part of a network of 200 technical classification experts in Høvik, Hamburg, Piraeus, and Houston, the seven-person DATE team in Singapore handles approximately 450 inquiries from ship operators and carries out 225 remote surveys each month. Since all DATE experts work on a common platform, the Singapore centre also takes care of cases from other time zones, for example from the US after the office in Houston has closed. A total of 65,000 DATE cases were logged worldwide in 2021, averaging about 180 per day.
The helpdesk includes disciplines such as class systematics, hull, machinery, MARPOL, and SOLAS. While shipboard incidents like grounding, flooding, listing, or structural damage are referred to DNV’s Emergency Response Service (ERS), DATE experts support ship operators with repair evaluations, rule interpretations, questions on survey requirements, and clarify PSC findings for a prompt closure. They are also authorized to issue class and statutory certificates, and to conduct remote surveys.
“Our role as the world’s leading classification society is to help customers navigate the complex rules and regulations designed to keep shipping safe and efficient,” said Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, Regional Manager South East Asia, Pacific & India, Maritime at DNV. “Direct access to technical experts whenever and wherever needed has been an essential service, especially during the pandemic, which has put additional strains on ship operations”, she added.
”The regulatory landscape, both global and local, has become increasingly complex in recent years. Our technical experts are ready to provide quick explanations and authoritative answers to ship operators, who are often under enormous time pressure,” said Sanjiv Mishra, Head of Section at DNV, who runs the Asia DATE centre.
Owners and managers of DNV-classed ships can contact DATE either by sending a simple email to date@dnv.com or by registering questions on the DNV Veracity portal. In addition, the service is available via a mobile application for iOS and Android.
To ensure the fastest possible response, DATE also uses machine learning (ML) technology. The ML algorithm identifies the question’s type and urgency, and cases are routed to the right experts accordingly. For less complex queries, FAQ management based on machine learning (DATE Digital Assistance) helps customers get immediate answers.