Americas News
Panama Canal Gets Bunker Saving Hull Cleaning Service
The HullWiper underwater hull cleaning service is now available in the Panama Canal.
"With our ROV now available in the Panama Canal, owners and operators of commercial vessels in the transit queue can use their waiting time to remove marine fouling and enjoy the benefits of improved vessel performance, fuel savings and lower GHG emissions, without any extra downtime or harming the marine ecosystem," says Managing Director Simon Doran.
Launched in Dubai in December 2013, the HullWiper service uses a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) with seawater jets to remove fouling, which the company says minimizes the risk of damage to anti-fouling coatings.
Earlier this month, BIMCO said it is heading a working group looking to establish an international standard for underwater hull cleaning to encourage its uptake in more ports, as preventing the practice risks increasing bunker consumption along with the associated emissions.
