Singapore: CleanHull Completes Hull Cleaning Trials

CleanHull Singapore Pte Ltd (CleanHull), successfully performed the first environmental-friendly hull cleaning test trial at a Singapore port terminal using ROVs on 4 July 2014.

Through close collaboration with maritime companies, and as part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2012 between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Singapore Maritime Institute, and BW Ventures Pte Ltd, an innovative technology for hull cleaning was deployed by a local team from CleanHull, testing and confirming on-site the feasibility of performing hull cleanings of container ships and other vessels during their loading and unloading activities at the port terminals in Singapore.

Says James Bassadone, CEO of Cleanhull, “By using high-technology ROVs and advanced filtering systems, CleanHull is able to perform fast, efficient and cost effective hull cleanings to remove biofouling. This approach also reduces environmental and human risks that have limited hull cleaning activities at many ports.”

The use of an ROV or even multiple ROVs simultaneously for hull cleanings, instead of deploying divers, provides a safe and reliable choice that is independent of water visibility, currents, time of the day, and ongoing activities on the vessel (such as loading/unloading/bunkering). In addition, the collection and filtering systems assure that residues and potential contaminants can be disposed of through environmentally-friendly procedures and without harm to marine life and water quality at the port.

Sverre Prytz, BW Ventures Managing Director,commented: “There will be an increasing number of business opportunities where profitability and sustainability will coexist and we believe CleanHull is one of such companies helping to answer the call for cleaner and greener shipping.”

Andrew Tan, Chief Executive, MPA: “We are very encouraged by the success of Cleanhull’s environmental-friendly hull cleaning test trial using ROVs in our port, which will not only benefit our future port operations, but help promote Singapore as an excellent location for the development and test-beddings of technological solutions for the global maritime industry.”

A clean hull reduces a vessel’s fuel consumption by improving its hydrodynamic performance, and contributes to significant emission reductions by the maritime industry. The use of ROVs at the Singapore port terminals will increase the productivity of vessel’s support operations in Singapore by requiring smaller sized teams for hull cleanings and by reducing the turnaround time of vessels. Furthermore, as the ROV-based hull cleaning uses water-pressure technology and is non-abrasive to hull coatings, it adds benefits to the life span of the hull’s painting and coating.

Press Release, July 07, 2014