Damen unveils ‘groundbreaking’ hull cleaning offering with ROV in starring role

Damen Shiprepair, part of the Dutch shipbuilding giant Damen Shipyards Group, has revealed a hull cleaning service that uses a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for its task. This vessel technology is said to be the first of its kind in France.

While disclosing the launch of its hull cleaning offering, Damen Shiprepair described the new option on its service menu as “groundbreaking” and “innovative.”

The company explains that its new hull cleaning service uses a ROV equipped with water nozzles to get the job done.

“We ensure safe and environmentally compliant hull cleaning,” highlighted Damen.

The firm has already ticked its first job off the list since its robotic team completed the first cleaning in Dunkirk on a bulk carrier during offloading.

According to the shipbuilding player, this work achieved significant fuel savings and improved vessel performance in only 12 hours.
 
“This service aligns with Damen Shiprepair’s commitment to leading in green, innovative ship technology. A huge thank you to the customer, Sea Invest Shipping Agency, Port of Dunkirk and Dunkirk Harbor Authorities for the collaboration,” emphasized Damen.

This comes after Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf enlarged the shore power capacity of its ship repair, maintenance, conversion, and refit projects to cover all vessel types that call at the yard.

During the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference (OEEC) 2024 in Amsterdam, Damen and Herman Sr. struck a deal for the construction of a new methanol-ready diesel-electric multipurpose vessel (MPV), boosting the Dutch player’s green fleet.

Meanwhile, another company also recently disclosed a new country entry for its ROV hull cleaning technology, as confirmed by HullWiper, which teamed up with Unidive Subsea to supply its service in Singapore.