HullWiper co-founds new hull maintenance partnership Intertrac HullCare

HullWiper has joined forces with International Paint, a subsidiary of ship hull paint and performance coatings specialist AkzoNobel, and underwater drone ROV specialist Orobotix to provide ship owners and operators with comprehensive hull care support in a new partnership named Intertrac HullCare.

The partnership offers high-performance coating schemes from International Paint tailored for different vessel types and operating profiles, which are maintained using sustainable hull cleaning solutions through HullWiper’s global network of partners as well as regular underwater inspections using Orobotix drones.

The end-to-end hull maintenance service allows for regular inspections, analysis and reporting to track hull condition. This enables vessels to save on fuel consumption while enhancing vessel speed and efficiency, and to comply with port and shipping authority anti-biofouling regulations worldwide and to meet BIMCO reclamation standards.

Customers will have access to the latest ROV inspection information in quarterly reports, and annual condition reports which will include biofouling development assessments in line with the ISO 19030 standards. To date, Intertrac HullCare has completed more than 60 inspections on a wide range of ships in the Far East, Middle East and Europe.

“Combining technology and innovation to bring a greener standard of hull care is vitally important within our industry,” says Simon Doran, HullWiper MD. “Countering the harmful effects of biofouling needs a proactive management plan, and ship owners and operators now have access to a comprehensive package that will facilitate their goals toward sustainable shipping.”

Since its launch in late 2013, HullWiper has expanded from its first base in Dubai to key locations across the Middle East, as well as ports in Australia, Denmark, Egypt, Gibraltar, Mauritius, Namibia, Norway, Panama, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Sweden. HullWiper has performed more than 1,400 hull cleans for vessels worldwide.