An apparatus for cleaning or maintaining the outer side of a hull of a marine vessel or the inner side of a cargo hold of a marine vessel. The apparatus includes a housing provided with a first row of magnetic driving and attachment elements and a second row of magnetic driving and attachment elements. The first and second row being parallel and arranged at opposing lateral sides of the housing. The first row of magnetic driving and attachment elements comprising magnetic wheels and/or a continuous track with magnetic links. The second row of magnetic driving and attachment elements comprising magnetic wheels and/or a continuous track with magnetic links. Further, the apparatus is provided with least one suspended magnetic wheel arranged between the first row and the second row, the at least one suspended magnetic wheel being resiliently suspended from the housing and biased towards the housing.

A cleaning or grooming system that uses acoustic pressure shock waves can remove barnacles, algae, biofilms and other undesired materials from the hulls of ships, propellers, rudders, inlet ports for cooling of nuclear submarines, outlet ports, sonar housings, protective grills and other structures that are submerged in salt or fresh water environments.

A cleaning or grooming system that uses acoustic pressure shock waves can remove barnacles, algae, biofilms and other undesired materials from the hulls of ships, propellers, rudders, inlet ports for cooling of nuclear submarines, outlet ports, sonar housings, protective grills and other structures that are submerged in salt or fresh water environments.

Systems for cleaning a structure via a robot are described. The robot includes a body. The robot further includes a tool coupled to the body and configured to hold a structural maintenance tool. The robot includes a sensor coupled to the body. The robot includes a drive system configured to allow positioning of the body along the structure, including inverted positioning and vertical positioning. The robot further includes a communication interface coupled to the body. The robot includes a controller coupled to the body. The controller is in communication with the tool, the sensor, and the drive system. The controller is configured to receive an operating instruction through the communication interface. The controller is configured to autonomously position the body via the drive system and to perform a task with at least one of the tool and the sensor according to the operating instruction.

Systems for cleaning a structure via a robot are described. The robot includes a body. The robot further includes a tool coupled to the body and configured to hold a structural maintenance tool. The robot includes a sensor coupled to the body. The robot includes a drive system configured to allow positioning of the body along the structure, including inverted positioning and vertical positioning. The robot further includes a communication interface coupled to the body. The robot includes a controller coupled to the body. The controller is in communication with the tool, the sensor, and the drive system. The controller is configured to receive an operating instruction through the communication interface. The controller is configured to autonomously position the body via the drive system and to perform a task with at least one of the tool and the sensor according to the operating instruction.

Cleaning head (22), cleaning device (8) comprising one or more cleaning heads (22), and a method for cleaning a surface, such as a ship's hull. The cleaning head (22) comprises: a frame (18) comprising a nozzle shaft (32); one or more nozzles (44) for cleaning the surface that are connected to the nozzle shaft (32) of the frame (18), with rotating means such that the nozzles (44) are rotatable around magnetic positioning means (46, 42); magnetic positioning means (46, 42) for positioning the head (22) relative to the surface that are provided or attached to the frame (18); andan activating element for manipulating the distance between the surface and the positioning means (46, 42), the activating element being connected to the positioning means, wherein the magnetic positioning means (46, 42) are movable between at least a first state and an active second state.

Cleaning head (22), cleaning device (8) comprising one or more cleaning heads (22), and a method for cleaning a surface, such as a ship's hull. The cleaning head (22) comprises: a frame (18) comprising a nozzle shaft (32); one or more nozzles (44) for cleaning the surface that are connected to the nozzle shaft (32) of the frame (18), with rotating means such that the nozzles (44) are rotatable around magnetic positioning means (46, 42); magnetic positioning means (46, 42) for positioning the head (22) relative to the surface that are provided or attached to the frame (18); andan activating element for manipulating the distance between the surface and the positioning means (46, 42), the activating element being connected to the positioning means, wherein the magnetic positioning means (46, 42) are movable between at least a first state and an active second state.

A robot for cleaning submersed marine structures is provided. The robot has a drive system for traversing the robot over the submersed structure. The robot further has an attachment system for attaching the robot to the submersed structure. The robot further has a cleaning arrangement for removing biofouling from the submersed structure as the robot is traversed thereover. The robot further has one or more flexible detector strips which contact the submersed structure as the robot is traversed thereover. The strips have a plurality of electrodes and are formed from electroactive polymer material which produces electrical signals in the electrodes on deflection of the strips. The signals are indicative of the surface roughness of the submersed structure.

A robot for cleaning submersed marine structures is provided. The robot has a drive system for traversing the robot over the submersed structure. The robot further has an attachment system for attaching the robot to the submersed structure. The robot further has a cleaning arrangement for removing biofouling from the submersed structure as the robot is traversed thereover. The robot further has one or more flexible detector strips which contact the submersed structure as the robot is traversed thereover. The strips have a plurality of electrodes and are formed from electroactive polymer material which produces electrical signals in the electrodes on deflection of the strips. The signals are indicative of the surface roughness of the submersed structure.

A cleaning or grooming system that uses acoustic pressure shock waves can remove barnacles, algae, biofilms and other undesired materials from the hulls of ships, propellers, rudders, inlet ports for cooling of nuclear submarines, outlet ports, sonar housings, protective grills and other structures that are submerged in salt or fresh water environments.