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ROV based hull cleaning now available in Panama Canal area

Written by Nick Blenkey
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William Hill, HullWiper Vice President (left) and Talleres Industriales Managing Director, Lino Arosemena

OCTOBER 16, 2018 – Eco-friendly hull cleaning is now available in the Panama Canal area following signing of an agreement between subsea services provider Talleres Industriales, S.A. and HullWiper.

HullWiper’s patented Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) hull cleaning system uses adjustable seawater jets under variable pressure to remove fouling, instead of brushes or abrasives, minimizing the risk of damage to anti-fouling coatings. Removed residues are collected by an onboard filter and deposited into dedicated drums onshore for locally-approved environmental disposal. The filter also reduces the risk of cross-pollination of waters with alien species.

The agreement with Talleres Industriales is the latest under a global leasing program under which HullWiper works with partners around the world to offer shipowners and operators a cost-efficient, alternative to traditional hull cleaning methods.

As the key transit point for vessels sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Panama Canal is a gateway to the world and the obvious choice for HullWiper’s first operational location in the Americas.

“With our ROV now available in the Panama Canal,” says HullWiper Managing Director Simon Doran, “owners and operators of commercial vessels in the transit queue can use their waiting time to remove marine fouling and enjoy the benefits of improved vessel performance, fuel savings and lower GHG emissions, without any extra downtime or harming the marine ecosystem.”

“We are excited to introduce HullWiper in the Panama Canal area,” says Talleres Industriales Managing Director, Lino Arosemena. “Our company has been serving the area for half a century, and now more than 1,200 vessels we attend to every year will have the opportunity to use this new service. HullWiper’s green credentials make it a good fit with other environmentally friendly technologies in which Talleres has invested in recent years, including sulfur cap solutions, ballast water system installation and pollution control division.”

 

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