MultiCleaner is Trosvik Oceantech’s ROV solution for professional ship hull cleaning.
As part of the continued development of the product, Trosvik Oceantech and Oslo-based Gratech have carried out a comprehensive review of the existing control system. The next step is to develop a new automation platform based on standardised industrial technology.
“For us, this is first and foremost about developing a reliable platform that works well for operators and is easier to support and maintain. At the same time, we are building a technological foundation that gives us greater flexibility for further product development,” says Svein Cato Rund, Managing Director of Trosvik Oceantech.
Reliability and ease of operation
The new solution will be based on PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) technology, a robust and well-established technology widely used to control and monitor industrial machinery and processes.
At the same time, the operator interface, or HMI (Human-Machine Interface), is being further developed to provide an integrated overview of camera feeds, system information and control functions.
The aim is to make MultiCleaner more reliable and easier to operate, maintain and support.
“For ship service companies, uptime is critical. MultiCleaner is designed to be a professional production tool. Our customers need to be able to rely on the equipment performing when they need it,” says Rund.
The first version of the new control platform is scheduled for testing in autumn 2026. The plan is then to install the system on the MultiCleaner unit previously delivered by Trosvik Oceantech to Talleres Industriales S.A. in Panama.
Preparing for AI integration
The new platform is also being developed with future artificial intelligence capabilities in mind.
Trosvik Oceantech is exploring how AI and image analysis could be used to identify different types of biofouling on ship hulls. In the future, this could support more targeted cleaning operations and provide better documentation of the work performed.
“What interests us is the value the technology can provide to the operator and the customer. If we can make cleaning more efficient, improve documentation and support better decision-making, the technology creates tangible value,” says Rund.
The AI capabilities are currently part of the longer-term development roadmap. The first priority is to establish the new, robust control platform on which these capabilities can later be built.
A market in development
The development comes at a time of growing international attention to biofouling – the accumulation of marine organisms on ship hulls and other submerged surfaces.
Biofouling increases resistance as a vessel moves through the water and can therefore contribute to higher fuel and energy consumption. Organisms attached to hulls can also be transported between different marine environments, contributing to the spread of invasive aquatic species.
Trosvik Oceantech believes these challenges will increase demand for efficient and well-documented hull cleaning solutions.
MultiCleaner is primarily aimed at professional ship service companies, and Trosvik Oceantech is currently in dialogue with potential customers in several international markets.
About Trosvik Oceantech
Trosvik Oceantech AS is a maritime technology company based in Brevik, Norway, and part of Trosvik Group. The company develops ROV-based solutions for professional ship hull cleaning, with MultiCleaner as its flagship product.