A semi-autonomous robotic tool by a Norwegian start-up is helping shipping companies to improve hull performance, reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions.
Developed by Shipshave, the In Transit Cleaning of Hulls (ITCH) solution is a robotic semi-autonomous hull cleaning technology that has proven to maximise hull performance by maintaining a clean hull. The robotic tool moves up and down the vessel in a defined pattern, using soft brushes to gently clean biofouling from a ship’s hull while avoiding damage to the antifouling coating.
This minimises the friction between the surface of the ship and the water, which leads to more fuel-efficient voyages and in turn fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The solution can be operated by the crew, requires no third-party specialists, enabling frequent hull cleaning to preserve hull surface and maintain hull efficiency.
There are numerous benefits to keeping a clean hull, including a minimised friction between the ship and the water, which in turn ensures good fuel efficiency (and therefore lower fuel costs), fewer emissions, reduced transfer of invasive species, increased longevity of antifouling coatings due to frequent and less invasive cleaning, and reduced downtime for retroactive hull cleaning.
The time it takes to clean a vessel will depend on various factors, noted Eirik Eide, co-founder of Shipshave during VPO Global’s recent webinar. For a handyszie vessel of between 180-190 metres, and a draught of 11m, it would take approximately one hour to clean one length of the vessel. The lifespan of the individual brushes depends on the frequency of use and type of biofouling they have been used to clean.
Frequency of the hull cleaning depends on the operational area, the condition of the hull, the antifouling, water salinity and temperature, vessel anchor time and much more, so as Eide notes it is difficult to say exactly how often hull cleaning should take place. However, he recommends if a vessel is trading in a biofouling hotspot then it may need to be used once a month.
In December 2021, ITCH was used onboard a 200m bulk carrier in less than optimal conditions, according to Shipshave. DNV evaluated the use of ITCH and the impact it had on the speed-power of the vessel and found there to be an approximate 10 per cent reduction in fuel consumption due to partial hull cleaning.
The robot is ideally operated by two people but can also be done by just one – one person to operate the winch and the other to monitor the progress along the vessel. A key benefit is that it enables the crew to remain in control of the hull efficiency and can be used when the vessel is sailing, eliminating vessel downtime and the need for third-party specialists to come onboard. Hull cleaning can be completed at any time, preventing fouling build-up.
The tool is also completely portable, meaning a permanent installation is not necessary.
While Shipshave is a young company having only launched its technology onto the commercial market in 2021, it has already delivered fifteen systems and four repeat sales. “We are most proud of this as it shows that the customers have found repeat value in our product,” said Eide.
ITCH is currently aimed at bulkers and tankers but Eide confirmed the company is engaged with a major freight container company to trial ITCH on the more “aggressive and leaner hulls for high-speed vessels.”
The company is planning to secure further verifications this year and to gather more operational data to improve the solution further. The company also plans to launch a supplementary tool to enable cleaning parts of the vessel that ITCH cannot currently reach.
Shipshave is also experimenting with different kinds of brushes that will enable the removal of hard fouling and barnacles.
To find out more about Shipshave watch our webinar held February 3 here.
