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The challenge
When FRS Clipper Vacations considered Hullbot for the Clipper V, the vessel was still running on a nine-year-old silicone antifouling coating. With a full repaint already scheduled for the following year, the technical team faced a dilemma. The coating was old enough that fouling was costing real fuel, but silicone systems are also easy to damage, particularly as they age.
FRS Clipper needed the fuel benefits of regular cleaning without risking the coating it already planned to retire on schedule.
The approach
Hullbot cleaned the hull every two weeks, tailoring its brush type, speed, and contact pressure to suit an aged silicone system.
- Zero downtime: Cleaning is done without divers, so it runs around the vessel’s schedule rather than against it.
- Full regulatory support: Operations in Puget Sound are permitted through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Ecology, addressing the invasive-species requirements that come with in-water cleaning regulations in the region.
- Routine inspection: High-definition inspection videos and images provided the technical team with a continuous visual record of hull condition between dry dockings.
Outcome
“I was initially skeptical about cleaning our nine-year-old silicone antifouling,” said Kevin Mehrer, a superintendent at US ferry operator FRS Clipper, after undertaking bi-weekly cleaning with Hullbot’s solution. “Now, after seeing the results in drydock, I’m pleased to share that the Hullbot service was highly effective in keeping the hull clean while preserving the integrity of the aging silicone paint. While we had seen this in the robot’s video footage, it was reassuring to confirm it firsthand.”
Clipper V went into dry dock for its scheduled repaint after more than a year of bi-weekly cleaning. The coating was still intact, with no wear attributable to the cleaning itself, successfully extending the operational life of a 9-year-old coating to 11 years while maintaining optimal fuel efficiency.
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