The on board version of the diver- and brush-free ROV gives vessels on a tight schedule the means to perform a partial or full hull clean on a planned rotation, as and when needed.
The on board solution, which was introduced at this year’s Navalia International Shipbuilding Exhibition in Spain, can be included in the design phase of newbuildings and allocated to a specific space either on deck, a door on the side of a vessel, or by using a moon pool.
HullWiper provides onsite training at its training centre in Dubai, followed by on board training at the operator’s convenience, to ensure best practise and care. The company offers round-the-clock support with a technical team on standby.
Like its in-port predecessor, the on board ROV uses adjustable seawater jets as the cleaning medium, instead of brushes or abrasives, minimising the risk of damage to expensive anti-fouling coatings.
No divers are used, so there is no risk to human life and cleaning can be conducted day or night, in most weather conditions, and whilst cargo operations are underway.
Unlike more traditional methods, which discharge removed residues and harmful materials into the sea, HullWiper collects them with a unique on board filter, which drastically cuts the risk of contamination of waters by alien species, the company claimed.
“The need for owners and operators to pro-actively manage marine fouling on their vessels, and prove that they have a cleaning management plan in place, can be the difference between being allowed into a port and being turned away,” said Simon Doran, HullWiper’s managing director. “Leasing a ROV and keeping it on board means they can clean whenever they want.”
The cleaning unit is allowed to work in many locations and countries worldwide. HullWiper also offers assistance in obtaining permission from any port seeking to check the cleaning process and result.
HullWiper’s general manager, Laurance Langdon, added: “Cleaning in international waters with the HullWiper is not a problem. Vessels can also clean in port, during loading and unloading and in most weather conditions, eliminating the need for unnecessary downtime.”
Launched in Dubai in December, 2013, HullWiper now operates in ports in Sweden, Singapore, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and - on an ad hoc basis - at key locations across the Middle East.