BV Launches Condition Assessment Program for Yachts

Bureau Veritas has extended its Condition Assessment Program to cover all types of yachts. BV Yacht CAP will provide owners with a certified and recognized evaluation of the real status of any yacht to promote the yacht’s condition to charterers, brokers, yacht managers, banks and leasing companies.

“Big yachts are big business but a high risk area for charterers and financiers,” says Vincent Lefebvre, Head of CAP and Environment section, Bureau Veritas. “BV Yacht CAP helps them manage that risk by carrying out a full assessment of the structure and outfit of the yacht and applying a Condition Assessment Programme rating to the vessel. It applies to all yachts, both pleasure and charter, regardless of length, and quantifies the actual condition of the yacht, independently from its class or age. The vessel does not have to be BV class to benefit, we can do this for any yacht, classed or not.” An inspection of the hull, equipment and machinery systems allows the assignment of a score from 1 to 4, depending on the characteristics of each yacht and according to the survey chosen. These can be a CAP Standard Survey carried out afloat, an Extended CAP Survey which includes dry dock or underwater survey and Comfort CAP Survey which also includes sea trials.

Says Lefebvre, “We have built a globally successful CAP programme for oil tankers, gas carriers and ships of all types, meeting the strict standards of oil majors and international charterers and banks. We have now blended our expertise and software in the CAP field with our experience with yachts to produce a useful and flexible tool for evaluating yachts. The BV Yacht Cap covers hull structure, hull and deck equipment and fittings, propulsion and auxiliary machinery, fittings and systems and the bridge and navigational and communications system. It’s a full and detailed snapshot of the vessels’ condition, and it is delivered quickly and in an easy to digest format.” BV has recently slashed reporting time for CAP surveys and improved accessibility and usability of the report through the development of patented software specifically designed for Condition Assessment purposes. Users get a detailed report illustrated with representative pictures and a CAP Certificate with a CAP rating giving a quick and easy understanding of the yacht's condition. All backed by the certification of a global classification society and Recognised Organisation.

The new CAP Reporting Software was designed in liaison with clients and ship vetting entities. Using a web-based interface the tool is installed on surveyors’ lap tops. The database of the spaces and important machinery equipment is automatically down loaded from BV's class database Neptune if the unit is BV class or uploaded for next time use if the vessel is not BV class. Reporting time is vastly reduced by use of drop down menus and eliminating duplication of data. Drop down menus ensure that CAP survey reports use common language and common phraseology throughout the BV network. Automatic calculation of scores and award of ratings takes away the possibility of calculation errors. The final very easy to read report is downloadable in pdf format or can be read directly on line with magazine style page turning software. The client has the option of making it available on line to charters, banks, potential buyers and others.

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in conformity assessment and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has close to 50,000 employees in 930 offices and 330 laboratories located in 140 countries. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performances by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.   www.bureauveritas.com