CASE C25 · PL · 2026
Laura Maersk: uncrewed drone inspection of a methanol fuel tank without gas-freeing
In April 2026 in Gdańsk, a drone inspected a methanol fuel tank on the container ship Laura Maersk. Visual and thickness data were collected in under two hours without gas-freeing or entry, and validated by class surveyors. It was a single trial, and formal acceptance in class surveys is still developing.
Ships & offshore structuresConfined spacesGNSS-deniedDarknessExplosive atmospheresOxygen deficiency & toxic gas
| Owner | A.P. Moller–Maersk (vessel Laura Maersk) |
| Provider | MaDfly (with Flyability) |
| Location | Gdańsk, Poland |
| Aircraft | Flyability Elios 3 UT with Tether Power Unit |
| Sensors | ultrasonic thickness (UT) probe, visual camera |
Before
Extensive tank cleaning and ventilation followed by personnel entry.
With drones
A tethered UT drone was flown into the methanol fuel tank; visual and UT data were validated by ABS and Lloyd's Register surveyors.
Outcomes
| Metric | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| inspection time | full tank inspection in under two hours | Reported |
| preparation | no gas-freeing, no human entry, no scaffolding | Reported |
| class acceptance | data accepted by ABS and Lloyd's Register surveyors for the trial | Reported |
Caveats & limits
- Manufacturer case study of a single trial (April 2026); no conventional baseline time or cost is quantified.
- Lloyd's Register says remote inspection avoids entry only 'in certain cases' and frames the trial as groundwork for future class acceptance.
Sources
- Drone Inspects Methanol Fuel Tanks of a Container ShipFlyability Full text read
Sources checked: 2026-10-22