Maritime robotics firm Greensea IQ has teamed up with Ocean Power Technologies to develop an autonomous hull maintenance system.
The two firms are working together to integrate Greensea’s EverClean robot, which removes biofouling from hulls, onto OPT’s WAM-V uncrewed surface vessel (USV).
As per recent press statements from the two firms — based in Richmond, Vermont and Monroe Township, New Jersey respectively — the aim is to develop and test a system that can operate independently of traditional support vessels and provide maintenance capabilities for both military and commercial shipping alike.
John Dunn, Chief Operating Officer at Greensea IQ, explained: “This collaboration with OPT accelerates our vision for a fully autonomous hull maintenance solution.”
He added: “By combining EverClean with WAM-V, we’re building the foundation for scalable, unmanned operations that reduce fuel costs, improve vessel performance, and eliminate the need for toxic coatings.”
And OPT’s Vice President of Operations Jeremiah Mendez remarked: “Greensea IQ’s EverClean technology is a natural complement to our WAM-V USVs,” adding: “Together, we are advancing a solution that enhances vessel efficiency and promotes cleaner oceans through robotic innovation.”
OPT’s WAM-V — an acronym for Wave Adaptive Modular Vehicle — is an autonomous USV which can execute a 360-degree turn within its own length, and can be scaled from 8-22 feet in length depending on mission requirements.
Four of its 22ft WAM-V platforms were put to the test in the Gulf of Finland in June by NATO under its Baltic Sentry initiative during the alliance’s small-scale Dynamic Messenger precursor event with assets assigned to NATO’s Task Force X.
Greensea IQ has a strong and growing relationship with the U.S. Navy, providing it with advanced robotics and autonomy solutions, particularly for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) missions.
In February the firm won a deal to deliver its Bayonet 250 Surf Zone Crawler — a mine-clearing autonomous underwater ground vehicle — to the U.S. Marine Corps under the USMC’s Littoral Explosive Ordnance Neutralization (LEON) project.
- You can read more details about the hull maintenance system on the Greensea IQ website and more about the WAM-V on the OPT website