A Hull of a Journey Part 3

Rubber Hulls, Grey Hulls, Plastic hulls and huge steel hulls, think Jahre Viking, my Part 1 (Sir, Yes Sir) started with 20 years of life in the British military, primarily as a Royal Navy Clearance Diver, Part 2 (taking responsibility) was becoming a “civvy” commercial diver, onwards and upwards becoming General Manager of UMC International Plc, (now SEATEC ), an inshore commercial diving company, I was based in the Dubai office where my role covered the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean. Some 14 years later, I found myself taking up a different type of challenge within the GAC Group , and this is where my part 3 (Vikings) starts.

So, Hull Cleaning is really not rocket science when carried out to recognized and simple standards, the basic theory, a clean smooth bottom in the water creates less drag so that bottom “hull” moves faster and burns less fuel to do so, that is why for over a thousand years, Phoenicians, Pirates, Vikings, commercial owners and operators have scrubbed their ships bottoms by way of human intervention, however the evolution of hull cleaning took a significant upturn from the conventional to the unconventional in 2003, when manual hull cleaning progressed to a more advanced approach with the introduction of the first commercially available Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) hull cleaning unit. This evolution wasn’t just about swapping tools; it represented an important move towards a more scientific, precise, and safer hull cleaning process to minimize the environmental impact associated with traditional, mostly contact-orientated, and or abrasive techniques whilst additionally removing the risk to divers usually doing this evolution.

Waves of innovation

In March 2010, GAC EnvironHull Ltd was established in Dubai, UAE, starting with research and development (R&D), design and fabrication in collaboration with a Danish R&D engineering consultancy firm, who had also built the first commercial ROV.

GAC EnvironHull first operational base was established in the Port of Fujairah to service vessels at the anchorage area in 2011, in 2012 I was invited to join the company to lead it forwards. In 2013 we extended our UAE coverage within Jebel Ali Port, primarily to support a cost effective and timely option for container vessels calling at the container terminals during cargo operations to avoid for them the need to go “off hire” at an anchorage for cleaning. Our services then extended to include LNG, VLCC, container, RoRo, cruise, and other vessels calling in the UAE ports.

Through collaborative agreements with local partners, GAC EnvironHull global expansion started in 2013 in Sweden. This was closely followed by the launch of our first Asian operational base in Singapore and an additional operational base in Valencia.

Riding the green tide

In 2017, GAC EnvironHull was rebranded as HullWiper Ltd to strengthen our market visibility and align our brand identify with our business objectives. We also recognized that a new operating model was needed to meet growing global demand and launched the first of our leasing schemes , offering interested parties initially a five-year plan to lease an ROV. Now they have multiple options and timelines available and are pretty flexible to what the interested party needs and wants. That shows they have skin in the game and are in it for the long run.

The onboard solution concept was introduced in 2018 to support a major new build shipyard for a specific cruise line, enabling the cruise liner to have hull cleaning options to clean on demand. Applicable to all ship types (think LNG, RoRo) the onboard solution can be included in the design phase of newbuilds and allocated to a specific space either on deck, door on the side of a vessel or using a moon pool.

Then we (HullWiper) introduced our first self-contained 40ft container in 2020 to provide cost effective cleaning options in remote locations, and designed to be transported by road or sea to geographical areas that our hubs could not serve.

In 2021, we started the natural move of our production facility from Norway to the UAE (the home of innovation) to allow us increased control over R&D and design upgrades.

A clean sweep

HullWiper did, and continues, to push the boundaries of the hull cleaning landscape for the shipping industry. In contrast to conventional hull cleaning methods, our sustainable solution combines innovative technology with safety, efficiency, and an environmentally conscious approach reducing every cleaned ship’s carbon footprint in the process.

From the initial enquiry to job completion, the HullWiper global hull cleaning solution aligns with the increasing demand for sustainable maritime practices. All our operations adhere to the guidelines of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA ) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO ) and in accordance with local, regional, and international environmental legislation. HullWiper actively participates as technical advisors in regulatory bodies such as the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO ) and the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP ). We are also one of the four founding members of the IMO’s Global Industry Alliance (GIA ) for Marine Biosafety, this isn’t because of FOMO, this is because we are using our voice to help shape the way the industry moves forward in a positive manner.

Proactive or Reactive Hull Cleaning, with biofouling capture or without capture?

And now, as the demand for eco-friendly hull cleaning methods and stringent global environmental legislation increases and awareness of invasive aquatic species grows, along with the harmful impact of plastics and heavy metals in the water column, the question asked, is in-water hull cleaning with capture the only viable way forward. The commitment to innovation, reliability and sustainability is fundamental to HullWiper’s goal of setting a global green maritime standard for vessel hull maintenance.

I used the words “our”, “us” and “we” but that is no longer applicable. As I post this blog, I have reminisced how far I have come, from the in and out of a rubber hull and also aligned to how far the commercial world has progressed, evidence of more and more women within the Maritime industry on ships both military and commercially, not just in shoreside occupations. Commercial diving standards are increasingly (albeit slowly) becoming a reality in the inshore world, and “sustainability” is the catchword alongside the expectation of “environmentally friendly”.

Being a part of this evolution and to see how much the industry has advanced over my part 1 and part 2 and forwards in part 3, I have had the greatest pleasure to work for, alongside or with some inspiring people, I have been involved in some seriously interesting and formative groups and I have definitely learnt from some very clever people indeed,

I can’t name everyone (There are so, so Many) but highest on my part 3 very long and esteemed list includes a Bjorn, a Bengt, a few Bill’s, an Elisabeth, an Aron, a Volker, and a very clever Mario.

As I vacate my position at HullWiper I am excited for the next challenge, part 4, as they say, watch this space (but not too closely)!