Next-Generation Hull Treatment: Robotics, 3,000 Bar UHP Systems, and Closed-Loop Sustainability

In Shanghai today, our shipyard team has successfully completed the acceptance trials of one of the most significant technological investments we have undertaken in recent years: the integration of 8 Hydwin Robotics hull hydroblasting robots (TCX32 and TCD13 models), supported by 14 Hammelmann ultra-high-pressure (UHP) pumps operating at 3,000 bar, and two closed loop water treatment and recirculation plants.

From a strictly technical surface preparation standpoint, this represents a major step forward.
Ultra-high-pressure hydroblasting at 3,000 bar enables the controlled removal of degraded coatings and contaminants without generating abrasive dust or affecting the structural integrity of the steel substrate.

Compared with conventional abrasive blasting, UHP eliminates secondary waste streams, minimizes cross-contamination, and delivers a clean surface profile while preserving the optimal roughness required for high-performance coating adhesion.

Process robotization through the TCX32 and TCD13 platforms ensures pressure stability, constant traverse speed, and repeatable treatment geometry, resulting in:
* superior and more homogeneous surface quality,
* reduced operator-to-operator variability,
* fewer reworks, and
* enhanced safety by minimizing direct human exposure.

From a production perspective, this configuration allows us to complete a Panamax-class drydocking including treatment of up to 30% steel renewal area and coating of 100% of the underwater hull, draft marks, and curing time, in less than 72 hours. Full-hull treatment with silicone coating systems can be executed within five days of continuous operations. The reduction in dock time directly lowers vessel off-hire and improves fleet operational economics.

However, the real impact extends beyond productivity.
The 14 UHP pumps, with a combined installed power of 3.5 MW, are equipped with variable frequency drives, enabling precise modulation of flow and effective pressure according to actual process demand. This reduces peak loads, optimizes electrical consumption, and lowers specific energy per square meter treated, directly contributing to a smaller carbon footprint.

Additionally, the two new treatment plants enable fully closed loop operation, recovering, filtering, and reusing process water with zero discharge during hull treatment. Eliminating effluents and drastically reducing freshwater consumption represents a substantial advance in port-based environmental performance.

Maritime decarbonization does not depend solely on the fuel ships burn. It also depends on how we engineer, maintain, and extend vessel lifecycle through cleaner, more efficient, and energy optimized technical processes.

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