Hull cleaning by robot

[ombugge]

The subject of under water hull cleaning has been raised before.
It is not new and has been done by divers for many years. Cleaning by robots is also not entirely new and it is developing fast.

Here is a presentation of Jotun’s Hull Skating Solution (HSS):

MSC picks Jotun's hull skating robot to keep its containership free from...

This is the first solution developed for proactive bio-fouling control on ships and offers the potential to reduce fuel costs by around $3.6 million and CO2 emissions by 12.5% annually, on a typical vessel, the company explained.

BTW; could this be something for the US “mothballed fleet”? Always clean hull and ready for fast deployment without the need for drydocking.

[ocnslr]

I recall USN grey hulls being cleaned robotically while moored at NOB, Norfolk VA in the 1970s.

[ombugge]

Are you sure that was done by a robotic (Autonomous) hull clear, not a tethered ROV?

The design of an underwater hull cleaning robot was introduced by Yuan et al., 2004

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2092678216303533#:~:text=The%20design%20of%20an%20underwater,research%20has%20also%20been%20done.

In any case; what is new with the Jotun’s Hull Skating Solution is that the robotic cleaner goes with the ship everywhere and the operation is monitored from Jotun’s Control Center in Norway.

PS> Probably will not be used by the US Navy, or even allowed used in US Ports, just in case some of the equipment should be made in China. Besides, Norway is close to Russia geographically. Maybe the Russians can somehow gain access to monitor the Control Room?

[ocnslr]

@ombugge

Are you sure that was done by a robotic (Autonomous) hull clear, not a tethered ROV?

Most likely a tethered ROV. Might even have been divers in the water checking behind the machine.