Underwater Hull Cleaning:

Biofouling & Niche cleaning

According to the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC63), the deterioration in hull and propeller performance between dry-dockings contributes to 10% of global fleet fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Hull performance relates to the connection between a ship's underwater hull condition and the energy needed to move it through water.

SSS provides a comprehensive underwater hull cleaning service to the rigorous standards set forth by New Zealand's MPI and Australia's DAWE for 2024 onwards.

Our team of skilled underwater engineers and dive inspectors understand the intricacies of this work and welcome the challenge of carrying out these specialized and often innovative tasks.

Each service offered by SSS includes an underwater inspection, complete with a detailed report, including photos and videos as per MPI/DAWE standards, before and after the work is performed.

Hull Cleaning Guidelines

SSG employs various cleaning techniques based on the type of antifouling coating and the level and type of marine fouling present on the vessel. We choose the least abrasive cleaning brushes that effectively remove fouling to minimize wear on your antifouling paint.

Thanks to our innovative hydraulic multi-brush systems with rotating brushes, we can complete hull cleaning with a faster turn-around time, and in a significantly more paint-safe manner relative to the competition, all while being environmentally friendly.

Hull cleaning encompasses the cleaning of flat bottoms, vertical sides, sea chests, rudders, and all niche areas, including bilge keels, dock keel blocks, cathodic protection anodes, stabilizer fins, spoilers, inlet pipes, echo sounders, speed log transducers, and more.

While the presence of soft, less dense marine growth may initially create drag on a vessel, it serves as a breeding ground for more substantial hard growth to accumulate and firmly attach to the ship's hull. Hard growth, being denser and weighty, substantially increases the ship's weight and drag, resulting in reduced travel speeds, higher fuel consumption, and increased operational expenses.

Neglecting this issue could lead to permanent damage to the vessel's anti-fouling paint or blockage of critical operational and navigational equipment like echo sounders, speed logs, intakes, discharges, and steering gear.

To maintain vessel efficiency, regular hull cleanings are essential, ideally scheduled every six months. These cleanings are often required by classification societies before conducting a subsea inspection to ensure no critical areas are missed.

At SSS, we offer highly effective and cost-efficient ship hull cleaning solutions, regardless of the severity of marine growth. What sets us apart is our exclusive use of state-of-the-art European engineered Brush Karts, with interchangeable brushes, customized to your vessel's specific needs. We pride ourselves on quick and thorough hull cleanings, maximizing marine growth and biofouling removal while minimizing coating loss.

Our mobile and adjustable units ensure tailored cleaning for any hull shape, and we exclusively use name-brand equipment with original parts, prioritizing the safety of your vessel and our divers. Our commitment is to 'Protect Your Coating,' delivering impeccable underwater cleaning results and minimizing damage to your antifouling paint.

As part of a global network of hull cleaning service providers, we are dedicated to ensuring your smooth sailing no matter the destination