Page 48: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2026)

DEEP SEA BLUE LASERS

From Cutting Processes to Algae Removal Case Study: Cleaning Ship Hulls with Blue Lasers

The range of possible applications is diverse: cutting sheet The outstanding transmission properties of blue wavelengths metal and pipes during the decommissioning of oil rigs, remov- in water can also be leveraged to combat biofouling on ship ing coatings, paint, and marine fouling, inspecting and main- hulls. In the research project “FoulLas,” funded by the proj- taining valves and load-bearing structures on pipelines or off- ect agency Jülich using resources from the German Federal shore platforms. The latter in particular are often completely Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), overgrown with algae after a few years of service. Here, an ROV the project partners Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing equipped with a laser and a camera can remove the growth and Technology and Applied Materials Research IFAM, Laser- restore clear visibility to critical components in a single dive – a line GmbH, and Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) dem- decisive advantage for maintenance companies and underwater onstrated for the