Waterjet Technology for Hull Cleaning

A High-Efficiency, Eco-Friendly Solution Reshaping the Hull Cleaning Industry

Ships operating long-term in marine environments inevitably accumulate barnacles, shellfish, rust layers, and stubborn fouling on their hull surfaces. These marine attachments significantly increase hydrodynamic resistance, raising fuel consumption by 5–20%, while accelerating hull corrosion and shortening vessel service life. Traditional hull cleaning methods have long suffered from low efficiency, heavy pollution, and structural damage risks. The emergence and continuous evolution of waterjet technology is fundamentally transforming this landscape.

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the value of waterjet technology in hull cleaning from four perspectives: current applications, real-world cases, future trends, and key differences compared with traditional methods.

1. Current Applications of Waterjet Technology in Hull Cleaning

Today, waterjet technology has become a mainstream solution in the hull cleaning sector. Ultra-high-pressure waterjet systems, in particular, are widely adopted across global ship repair and shipbuilding industries due to their efficiency, environmental compliance, and precision.

Technological maturity has advanced from early manual handheld lances to integrated systems combining intelligent equipment with closed-loop recovery. Operating pressures range from 40 to 3000 bar, enabling effective removal of marine growth, rust, and aged coatings.

Environmental compliance is a key driver of adoption. With stricter enforcement of the IMO’s MARPOL Convention, traditional abrasive blasting—known for producing heavy-metal-laden dust—is being phased out. Waterjet systems, equipped with vacuum recovery units, enable fully closed-loop collection of wastewater and debris, reducing residual discharge to approximately 1/100 of traditional methods and aligning perfectly with green shipping requirements.

Automation and intelligence are accelerating rapidly. Ultra-high-pressure waterjet robots are now widely deployed in major shipyards. In large-scale green ship repair bases, full coverage adoption has been achieved. Automated cleaning equipment is expected to grow from a 35% market share in 2024 to over 52% by 2030, becoming the core growth engine of the industry.

2. Representative Applications and Case Studies

The practical value of waterjet technology has been validated through numerous large-scale projects, demonstrating strong adaptability across diverse scenarios.

Case 1: Ultra-High-Pressure Robotic Rust Removal in Dry Dock Operations

In a localized rust removal project for a 58,000 DWT Ro-Ro vessel, an ultra-high-pressure vacuum waterjet robot was deployed. Operating at 2700–3000 bar with a precision nozzle diameter of 0.3 mm, the system achieved accurate removal of corrosion and aged coatings at an efficiency of 25 m² per hour—over three times faster than manual abrasive blasting. The achieved surface preparation met international WA2.0 standards.

For full-vessel operations, larger robotic systems integrating rust removal, high-altitude access, and automated coating functions were employed, reaching efficiencies of up to 100 m² per hour. Wastewater recovery exceeded 90%, with zero dust pollution on site. Inspections five years later confirmed excellent coating integrity, earning long-term approval from European shipowners.

Case 2: Magnetic Wall-Climbing Robots for Complex Hull Geometry

Magnetic wall-climbing robots utilizing ultra-high-pressure waterjets operate effectively on vertical hull surfaces and ship bottoms, eliminating the need for scaffolding. With working pressures up to 2800 bar, these systems achieve cleaning rates of 50–75 m² per hour—equivalent to six workers operating simultaneously. They have successfully completed continuous operations exceeding 90 hours on ultra-large vessels, achieving Sa 2.5 surface preparation grades, with treated wastewater fully recyclable.

Case 3: Integrated Equipment Clusters for Predictive Maintenance

Some shipyards deploy integrated fleets including ultra-high-pressure pumps, hull cleaning vehicles, and tracked boom platforms. Remote-controlled operation minimizes human exposure to hazardous environments. Compared with conventional abrasive methods, cleaning quality is superior and airborne pollution is eliminated. With routine preventive maintenance, overall cleaning costs per vessel are reduced by over 20%, and dry-dock schedules shortened by approximately three days.

3. Future Development Trends

As environmental regulations tighten and intelligent technologies mature, waterjet hull cleaning will evolve toward greener, smarter, more efficient, and more precise systems.

Green technologies will further advance, focusing on improved water recycling efficiency and the integration of biodegradable additives to reduce freshwater consumption. By 2030, environmentally optimized cleaning projects are expected to represent nearly half of the global market, exceeding USD 100 billion in value.

Intelligent automation will deepen. AI-based vision systems will enable automatic identification of corrosion zones and fouling types, dynamically adjusting pressure, flow rate, and jet angle. Remote operation and intelligent dispatch platforms will significantly improve safety and productivity.

Digital lifecycle management will emerge. By integrating IoT and big data platforms, shipowners can predict cleaning requirements, reduce corrosion risks, lower equipment failure rates by up to 40%, and cut maintenance costs by 25%.

Core component innovation will continue. Advanced nozzle materials with enhanced wear and pressure resistance will extend service life and improve efficiency. Equipment will become more compact and multifunctional, expanding applications to smaller vessels and confined structural areas.

4. Key Differences Compared with Traditional Hull Cleaning Methods

Traditional methods—manual scraping, abrasive blasting, and chemical cleaning—lag significantly behind waterjet technology in efficiency, environmental impact, quality, and safety.

Efficiency improves from labor-intensive processes to high-speed robotic cleaning, achieving 3–12 times higher productivity and reducing dry-dock time by up to 30% for large vessels.

Environmental impact shifts from heavy dust and chemical pollution to fully closed-loop, water-only processes compliant with IMO standards.

Cleaning quality transitions from substrate-damaging methods to precision, non-destructive surface preparation, extending coating life from 3–5 years to 8–10 years.

Safety and cost structures are transformed. Remote operation minimizes human risk, while reduced labor, waste treatment, and water recycling lower per-vessel cleaning costs by more than 22%.

Conclusion

As the global maritime industry accelerates toward green and intelligent transformation, waterjet technology stands out as the preferred solution for hull cleaning. Its unmatched efficiency, environmental compliance, precision, and safety are redefining industry standards. From today’s intelligent equipment to tomorrow’s fully automated, data-driven systems, waterjet hull cleaning delivers tangible economic benefits while supporting sustainable shipping. Choosing waterjet technology is not only a strategic operational decision—it is a commitment to the future of green maritime operations.