Montenegro could develop an export-oriented industrial technology niche by combining engineering inspection with software, digital databases and data analysis, creating services for predictive maintenance and asset integrity. Tivat-based INVAR-Ivošević is developing the DiVoD project, which combines ultrasonic and electromagnetic non-destructive testing with digital databases and software designed to support future AI and digital-twin applications. The project runs from June 2026 to May 2027 and has eligible costs of around €176,000, including nearly €150,000 in European funding.
Digitalising Industrial Inspection
Non-destructive testing identifies cracks, corrosion and weld defects without damaging equipment or structures. The technology is used across shipping, steel fabrication, pressure equipment and infrastructure. The commercial opportunity extends beyond individual inspections by converting test results into long-term digital asset records. Maintaining inspection histories allows engineers to monitor deterioration, identify emerging defects and advise asset owners when maintenance is required. This can shift companies from one-off inspection contracts toward recurring asset-integrity and predictive-maintenance services.
Export Potential
The model does not depend on a large domestic industrial base. Montenegro-based engineering teams could conduct their work locally while analysing data from ships, factories and infrastructure elsewhere in Europe and the Western Balkans. Potential customers include industrial operators, shipowners, infrastructure managers, insurers and lenders conducting technical due diligence.
AI could eventually help engineers classify inspection signals and identify anomalies, while digital twins could combine inspection histories with operating data. The market remains specialised and depends on recognised technical qualifications and certification. These requirements can also provide protection for companies that establish credibility with industrial customers.
Montenegro’s technology sector is commonly associated with software outsourcing and start-ups. Digital industrial inspection offers another model by combining engineering expertise with software to provide higher-value services to foreign markets. In this model, the commercial asset is the data and technical expertise used to assess whether industrial equipment and infrastructure can continue operating safely.
