b'to 10 minutes by itself. While there is still the tether anduse of non-toxic coatings. Theres also less risk of carrying operator, autonomy is built in.invasiveornon-nativespeciesacrosswaterways.These benefits can layer onto other sustainability related projects This application of underwater robotics can be of signifi- such as alternative fuels or electric propulsion, positively cant benefit to all sectors of the maritime industry includ- contributing to a companys impact. ing passenger vessel operators. According to a report from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) a layerLoefler noted that people traditionally think of underwater of slime as thin as 0.5 mm covering up to 50 percent of acleaning with divers and the cost associated with that process. hull surface can trigger an increase of GHG [greenhouseThat mentality may be carried over to hull cleaning with ro-gas] emissions in the range of 20 to 25 percent, dependingbots, leading to the expectation of deploying a robot once a on ship characteristics, speed and other prevailing condi- year to clean a hull. He pointed out that its not the right way tions. A clean hull also leads to lower fuel consumptionto think about it. Their company recommends hull cleanings as water is over 800 times denser than air and a smoothevery two weeks to keep the hull clean over time. While that surface will move through the water with less resistance,is much more frequent than many operators are used to, Loe-requiring less power. Fuel consumption has been report- fler said that its already common in some sectors of the ma-ed to be about 10% lower after underwater hull cleaning.rine industry such as sailboat racing and is found in locations Loefler pointed out other benefits to a clean hull such asaround the world where labor is cheaper and regularly em-lower underwater radiate noise and less noise pollution,ploying divers isnt cost prohibitive. He said that some ferry reductioninwearandtearonengines,preservingandvessels in other regions may clean every four to six weeks with extending the life of coatings, and possibly unlocking thedivers and that some large ship owners may clean hulls every DOCK TO DOCK EFFICIENCYYOUR CHILLER EXPERTS SINCE 1995!For the most rugged and reliable commercial/militaryquality chillers available choose Flagship Marine,proudly manufactured in the USA with domestic alloys only. Rugged, reliable, If you want alland simple design.the bells andIndestructible, whistles wenaturallysupply the fullantimicrobialline of WebastoCuNi heavy walledchillers andcondensers. other products.Our waterjets represent the pinnacle of all-round State Of The Art Marine Air Conditioning Systems operational efficiency, agile 3211 SE Gran Park Way, Stuart, Florida 34997manoeuvrability, for swift www.flagshipmarine.comwww.itrmarine.comturnarounds, and durability.772-283-1609sales@flagshipmarine.com www.hamiltonjet.com23 SEPTEMBER 2024'