ACOMAR


Facts
Category
Problem owner
Project period
Total budget
28,800,000 kr.Partners
About the project
Challenge
A challenge for offshore constructions is marine biofouling, which permanently attaches to the structure. This leads to increased load and material fatigue, primarily due to increased wave forces and weight. Additionally, it complicates inspections, which are necessary to document the material's integrity. These drawbacks can be reduced by regularly cleaning the biofouling. Alternatively, the construction can be over-engineered during the design phase to withstand the loads from marine biofouling, which increases costs for both production/operation and thus energy production. The project aims to develop a concept for inspecting and combating marine biofouling using the latest robotics technology and automation, which is much less environmentally damaging.
Furthermore, biofouling complicates offshore inspections, which are essential to document the durability of platforms and foundations. These drawbacks can be minimized by regularly cleaning the biofouling. Alternatively, the construction can be over-engineered during the design phase to withstand the loads from marine biofouling. Both methods increase the costs of production and/or operation of the structures, and thus impact energy production.
In the North Sea alone, the industry currently spends a three-digit million amount annually to remove marine biofouling.
Solution
In the project, a number of partners will develop a specially designed underwater robot that can autonomously inspect and remove marine biofouling.
The technology can operate independently of large environmentally damaging vessels currently used for the cleaning task. The robot can be deployed directly from a wind turbine foundation or oil and gas platform, and requires only a support function while the task is being performed. It is expected that the concept will reduce cleaning costs by 30-40 percent.
Project Deliverables
ACOMAR – Auto Compact Marine Growth Remover. An intelligent underwater robot that can both inspect and clean the structure. It is automated, easy to transport offshore, and requires only 1-3 people to service it, compared to the current model, which requires 45-50 people.
Project in the media
Want to learn more?

Skibsbyggerivej 5, 3rd floor.
9000 Aalborg
Navitas
Inge Lehmanns Street 10
8000 Aarhus C
House of Offshore Innovation
Channel 1
6700 Esbjerg
Port House
Vendersgade 74
7000 Fredericia
BLOXHub
Bryghusgade 8
Entrance C, 3. sal
1473 København
Alsion
Alsion 2
6400 Sønderborg
Frederiksborgvej 399
bygning 108
4000 Roskilde
©Energy Cluster Denmark 2025