En-route operated hydroblasting system for counteracting biofouling on ship hull

Abstract

Improvement in the management of biofouling on ship hull can help to enhance the operational performance of ships and reduce cost of shipping. It can also effectively minimize the environmental impact e.g. spread of invasive aquatic species of international shipping. The operation of the newly developed hydroblasting cleanup system indicates that angles and types of nozzles have apparent effects on the effectiveness of biofouling removal. With a distance of 6 mm from nozzle tip to specimen surface, the biofouling removal rates were 41%, 59%, and 71% for 25 degrees flat, 65 degrees flat, and rotating jet, respectively. The results obtained in the study demonstrate that the growth of biofilms can be interrupted effectively by using the developed system. We determined the extent to which the proposed technology can be used to prevent the buildup of biofouling on international vessels, to reduce the global transfer of nonindigenous species, and to contribute to the future development of useful solutions. We suggest that future studies use this cleaning system periodically while monitoring the status of biofouling to determine the effectiveness of the interference. The results can also be used to establish parameters (e.g., cleaning cycle duration) for a strategic plan.