WESTERN Australian technology firm CleanSubSea has been recognised with an Innovator of the Year Award at this year’s Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney.
The Envirocart Gen3 system, developed in Perth, is reportedly the world’s only current solution to completely capture, contain and filtrate marine growth during in-water hull cleaning operations in large commercial vessels.
CleanSubSea managing director Rory Anderson said the technology provided an efficient and environmentally friendly solution.
“In addition to the logistical advantage of operating while the vessel remains in water, our Envirocart Gen3 is specifically designed to protect the local marine environment, while lowering ship emissions through reducing drag and fuel use through more regular removal of biofouling,” Mr Anderson said.
Designed for ferrous-hull vessels of 80 metres or longer, Envirocart Gen3 is a modular, integrated system that is designed to 100% capture and contain all removed marine growth and associated biocides, filtering down to 10 microns and discharging only clean water back into the sea.
“These key benefits of our in-water hull cleaning technology are growing in demand, as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) introduces its new biofouling management standards,” Mr Anderson said.
The platform offers either a diver-driven or remotely operated (ROV) option from topside with real-time video.
Ship biofouling is a significant issue for the maritime industry, as it leads to significant increases in fuel consumption (up to 180%), escalated operational costs and severe environmental damage via the translocation of invasive species and accumulation of harmful chemicals.
The IMO is expected to increase its compliance activities in line with its updated standards in 2026, which will see vessels potentially facing port entry bans and other substantial penalties.