Revolutionizing Hull Cleaning: 20 Technologies That Could Save Millions
January 22, 2026
Hull cleaning is turning into a real operating lever instead of a drydock-only chore. The practical shift is that more fleets are moving toward proactive, repeatable maintenance cleaning (often with capture) plus smarter “cleaning timing,” because the fuel and schedule penalty of a rough hull compounds quietly over months. The technologies below are the building blocks that show up most often in real programs right now.
20 Biofouling Technologies That Could Save Millions
Note: This is a market scan of publicly described hull-cleaning and antifouling technologies, not a performance guarantee. Real-world results vary widely by vessel type, coating condition, water temperature and biology, idle time, port restrictions, and how early the cleaning is done. Cost bands are directional and relative, and availability depends on where the vessel trades.
#1–5
| # | Technology | Best on | How it performs in the real world | Cost band | Constraints to watch | Public examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Capture ROV Hull Cleaning (Closed-Loop)
In-water cleaning with capture and filtration
|
Light to moderate fouling Maintenance cleaning | Strong when used before hard growth dominates. The value is the containment approach: debris is collected instead of being released into the port environment, which helps where biosecurity rules are strict. | High | Port approval and waste-handling rules vary. Performance also depends on coating type and how early the cleaning is scheduled. | EcoSubsea and other “clean-and-capture” ROV approaches used in ports with tighter discharge expectations. |
| 2 |
High-Pressure Water Jet Cleaning with Capture
Non-contact jetting paired with containment
|
Slime and early growth Sensitive coatings | Typically used as a proactive cleaning method. The main advantage is less mechanical abrasion than heavy brushing, while still supporting capture. Results depend on pressure, nozzle setup, and fouling severity. | High | Not a “miracle tool” for thick calcareous growth if the vessel is left too long. Availability is port and vendor dependent. | HullWiper and similar capture-based jet systems positioned for in-water cleaning with debris collection. |
| 3 |
Onboard Hull Grooming Robot (Always-On Maintenance)
Robot stored onboard for frequent grooming
|
Microfouling control Keep hull “maintenance-clean” | Works best when cadence is high and the goal is preventing buildup rather than removing heavy fouling. This approach is about consistency: keep the hull smooth so fuel penalty never compounds. | Very high | Requires onboard integration, procedures, and the right coating strategy. It is not designed as the primary tool for hard-growth removal after long idle periods. | Jotun Hull Skating Solutions (HullSkater) is the best-known onboard grooming model in current market programs. |
| 4 |
Autonomous Hull Cleaning as a Service (Frequent Cadence)
Robotic cleaning delivered on a recurring schedule
|
Frequent maintenance cleaning Fleet programs | Effective when the service model keeps cleaning intervals tight and avoids “late” cleanings where hard growth becomes the dominant problem. The win is predictable hull condition across a fleet rather than one-off cleanups. | High | Coverage depends on where the provider operates. Ports may require capture, reporting, or specific operating windows. | Hullbot is a public example of autonomous, frequent-cleaning positioning as a service concept. |
| 5 |
Magnetic Crawling ROV Cleaning for Anchorage Windows
Hull-crawling robots designed for longer cleaning windows
|
Anchorage cleaning windows Large surface coverage | Useful when a vessel sits long enough for a thorough pass and the operator wants control over timing outside a berth schedule. Performance depends on tool head choice and whether capture is included. | High | Weather, currents, and access windows matter. Capture capability can be the deciding factor in certain regions. | Neptune Robotics and similar multi-robot, hull-crawling approaches are publicly described for anchorage operations. |
#6–10
| # | Technology | Best on | How it performs in the real world | Cost band | Constraints to watch | Public examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 |
Dockside Containment Cleaning Carts with Filtration
Sealed work zone at hull surface, debris collected and treated
|
Maintenance cleaning Ports with discharge rules | Effective where ports want a controlled work envelope plus a documented capture pathway. Often used when compliance requirements demand containment and clear waste handling. | High | Deployment logistics at berth can limit use. Seal performance can be sensitive to hull curvature, currents, and local operating restrictions. | CleanSubSea “Envirocart” style containment and filtration systems. |
| 7 |
Diver-Assisted Mechanical Brush Cleaning Systems
Brush carts and diver-operated tools for heavier removal
|
Moderate fouling Targeted areas | Flexible and still common in many regions because it can remove meaningful growth. Tradeoff is coating risk and increasing restrictions where uncontained in-water cleaning is limited. | Mid to high | Coating damage risk increases with aggressiveness. Biosecurity and water-quality rules can restrict uncontained cleaning in some ports. | Brush-kart hydraulic systems used in diver-led hull cleaning operations (multiple suppliers and service providers). |
| 8 |
ROV Cleaning with Multi-Stage Fine Filtration
Capture systems designed for very fine effluent control
|
Compliance-sensitive ports Documented capture | Most valuable where capture is mandatory and operators need an auditable filtration approach. Often paired with reporting and controlled disposal pathways. | High | Higher system complexity and operating cost. Local approvals and waste handling logistics are frequently the gating factor. | Subsea Global Solutions (filtered-mode in-water cleaning with multi-stage filtration described publicly). |
| 9 |
Cavitation Jet Cleaning Tools (Enhanced Water-Jet)
Cavitation energy increases removal power vs plain jetting
|
Tougher fouling Selective spot removal | Higher-intensity removal tool class for stubborn growth. Coating safety depends on settings and operator practice, and outcomes improve when used before thick hard growth dominates. | Mid to high | Coating risk if misapplied. Capture is not inherent, so ports that require debris collection may need an integrated containment approach. | Cavitation water-jet cleaning tools and recent technical literature describing cavitation-assisted cleaning. |
| 10 |
Hybrid Brush + Cavitation Robot Cleaners
One platform combining mechanical contact and high-energy jets
|
Mixed fouling When one tool is not enough | Promising because it can adapt to mixed conditions without swapping equipment mid-job. Best use case is controlled escalation of cleaning intensity while maintaining predictable coverage. | High to very high | Platform complexity, port permissions, and demonstrating coating-safe operation at higher intensity settings. | Recent robotics research describes combined mechanical and cavitation-jet approaches; commercial implementations vary by provider. |
#11–15
| # | Technology | Best on | How it performs in the real world | Cost band | Constraints to watch | Public examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |
In-Transit Hull Cleaning Robotics (Underway)
Cleaning while sailing to reduce port dependence
|
Early-stage fouling Consistency over time | Still emerging, but the promise is simple: keep the hull from drifting rough between ports. The practical value is strongest as a microfouling control tool rather than a heavy-growth removal method. | Very high | Safety case, operational acceptance, and verifying performance without coating harm. Not a fit for every hull form or operating profile. | Shipshave is a public example of an underway hull-cleaning concept that has received industry visibility. |
| 12 |
Clean-and-Inspect Robots (Fouling Map + Evidence)
Cleaning paired with inspection imagery and reporting
|
Verification Fleet standardization | The key advantage is evidence: you get a fouling map, proof of cleaning coverage, and a repeatable record for internal standards, charterer questions, or port requirements. Value increases when the data is used to optimize cleaning timing. | High | Data quality depends on lighting, water clarity, and platform stability. Some ports may still require capture depending on local rules. | Jotun HullSkater includes inspection and cleaning positioning; several robotic providers market combined inspection plus cleaning workflows. |
| 13 |
Propeller Polishing and Niche-Area Cleaning Tools
Prop, rudder, sea chests, gratings, thrusters, niche zones
|
High ROI hotspots Targeted maintenance | Often one of the quickest efficiency wins because prop condition and niche-area growth can create outsized performance penalties. Typically delivered as a recurring maintenance program rather than a one-time job. | Mid | Access and safety constraints vary by port and hull type. Some niche areas require specialized tooling and careful procedures to avoid damage. | Subsea Global Solutions publicly highlights propeller polishing as part of its service suite; many dive teams and robotic providers include niche-area capability. |
| 14 |
Silicone Foul-Release Coatings (Biocide-Free)
Low surface energy coatings that reduce adhesion
|
Lower adhesion Easier cleaning | These coatings are less about killing organisms and more about making them not stick as strongly. They can materially reduce cleaning difficulty and drag, but results depend heavily on operating profile and correct application in drydock. | High | Application quality matters. Some vessel profiles and idle patterns can reduce the benefit versus expectations if the hull is not kept in a maintenance-clean state. | PPG’s SIGMAGLIDE is a public example of a silicone foul-release coating positioned around reduced friction and easier release. |
| 15 |
Silicone-Hydrogel Antifouling Coatings
Hybrid surface chemistry designed for fouling control
|
High-performance coatings Fouling control + cleanability | Aimed at maintaining a smoother hull and resisting fouling through a proprietary surface approach. In practice, these are premium coatings where the economics depend on fuel price, uptime, and how well the coating is maintained. | High | Still a drydock decision with real upfront cost. Outcome depends on spec discipline, surface prep, and whether cleaning practices match the coating design intent. | Hempel’s Hempaguard is a public example of a silicone-hydrogel antifouling system described with ActiGuard positioning. |
#16–20
| # | Technology | Best on | How it performs in the real world | Cost band | Constraints to watch | Public examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |
Hard Foul-Release Coatings Built for Grooming
Harder, low-friction surfaces designed to tolerate frequent cleaning
|
Frequent grooming programs Maintain low roughness | Designed for operators who want repeatable maintenance cleaning without degrading the coating quickly. The main advantage is durability under frequent contact, which can help keep the hull closer to “as-applied” smoothness over time. | High | Still a drydock decision with up-front cost. Benefits depend on grooming cadence, cleaning tool choice, and maintaining the coating within its intended operating envelope. | GIT Coatings is a public example described as a hard, amphiphilic foul-release coating positioned as grooming resistant. |
| 17 |
Water-Layer Low-Friction Coatings
Surface engineered to hold a thin water layer and reduce drag
|
Drag reduction focus Efficiency projects | Not a cleaning device, but it reduces the penalty of surface friction and can complement cleaning strategy by starting from a lower-friction baseline. In practice, the value is tied to verified performance, application quality, and sustained smoothness. | High | Benefits can be sensitive to application quality and real operating conditions. Verification and monitoring matter more than marketing claims. | Nippon Paint Marine “HydroSmooth” is publicly described as a water-trapping / water-layer low-friction coating concept. |
| 18 |
Electrostatic Application for Foul-Release Coatings
Application method aimed at uniform thickness and reduced overspray
|
Better application control High-end coating jobs | The “technology” is the application process. The promise is improved transfer efficiency and consistency, which can reduce rework and help coatings hit their intended surface properties more reliably. | High | Yard process, equipment, and applicator capability are the gating factors. It is only as good as surface prep and quality control. | PPG has publicly referenced electrostatic application paired with its foul-release coating offering. |
| 19 |
Ultrasonic Antifouling Systems (Chemical-Free)
Transducers emit ultrasound intended to inhibit early settlement
|
Prevention Targeted zones | Most often positioned as a preventive tool that slows early biofilm and settlement rather than a “remove heavy growth” solution. Real-world outcomes vary with install quality, hull geometry, and operating environment. | Mid to high | Performance variability is the main watch-out. Power draw, placement, and vessel-specific conditions matter. Some operators treat it as supplemental rather than primary. | Alfa Laval Sonihull is a widely known commercial ultrasonic anti-fouling product line. |
| 20 |
Hull Performance Analytics for Cleaning Timing
Data-driven decisioning: when to clean, where, and how often
|
Avoid “too early/too late” Fleet optimization | Often one of the highest ROI enablers because it prevents wasted cleaning spend and catches performance drift early. Strongest when paired with consistent operational data and periodic inspection imagery. | Low to mid | Garbage in, garbage out. Benefits depend on data quality, stable baselines, and making the recommendations operationally actionable. | DNV biofouling management plan tooling, ZeroNorth’s AI-driven hull cleaning recommendation positioning, and Vesselity’s Hull-Sight monitoring are public examples in this category. |
Reading note: These 20 items mix three different levers on purpose. Some remove fouling (cleaning tools), some prevent or reduce adhesion (coatings and ultrasound), and some improve timing and proof (analytics and clean plus inspect). The biggest savings usually come from combining them into a repeatable program: keep the hull in a maintenance-clean state, choose a coating that matches your operating profile, and use data to avoid cleaning too early or too late.
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