Project

Mussels and other marine fouling settle on the part of offshore wind turbines and production platforms that is underwater.
The fouling worsens the load from the waves and reduces the load-bearing capacity of the structure by 25-65 percent. Today, the fouling is removed manually – typically using manually controlled underwater robots – which is a time-consuming and financially burdensome process.

The idea for the solution consists of three elements. 1. cleaning rings around the supporting structures that remove fouling when the water moves. 2. a robot that can move on the supporting structures and send a message about the size of the fouling. 3. A robot that can remove fouling by high-pressure washing underwater. The effect of the solution will be an extension of the service life of the structure, and an expected reduction in costs by 30-40 percent. In the North Sea alone, the industry currently spends a three-digit million amount annually on removing marine fouling.