Atlantida Cleaning and Repair in Water

• Ship Husbandry

ATLANTIDA offer a fully comprehensive underwater ship hull maintenance service. From establishment in 2008 the scope of our work has included in-water hull cleaning, propeller polishing, rudder, propeller and plating repairs and classification society approved in-water surveys. Our experienced underwater engineers and diver inspectors understand the complexities of such work and, as part of the ATLANTIDA team, embrace the challenge of undertaking these specialist and often innovative tasks.

• Underwater Hull Cleaning

The ATLANTIDA team have been cleaning ships underwater for more than ten years and during this time they have built up a good reputation for reliability with owners and management companies worldwide.

ATLANTIDA have a permanently based hull cleaning station in the  Gibraltar Straights, South of Spain, with our own diving support/work boats located in Algeciras(36º 8’N—5º 27’ W). Being one of the world's largest natural deep-water harbours, Algeciras is ideally situated at the western entrance to the Mediterenean - offering a negligble diversion time with ships able to lay anchor in about an hour. The water conditions here favour all types of in-water ship husbandry and maintenance including hull cleaning.

• Underwater Propeller Polishing

Propeller polishing is an operation ATLANTIDA are increasingly asked to carry out in today's fuel-efficiency conscious climate. Careful monitoring of ship performance has shown that a power saving of 10 - 20% can be achieved following effective propeller cleaning and polishing. After underwater polishing, bunker consumption savings of 3 - 8% can realistically be expected.

The ATLANTIDA "polishing" system not only removes any marine fouling and vastly reduces surface roughness but it successfully polishes with no loss of metal. The "Propduster" system employs a high-speed hydraulic rotary machine with a specially designed underwater head and flexible abrasive polishing pads. It is specifically manufactured for its purpose and, being flexible and positively buoyant, the pads adapt exceptionally to the varying contours and geometry of the propeller blades.

The polishing operation is conducted using the Rubert Comparator Gauge as a standard to assess and report on propeller blade surface condition, before and after polishing.

Propeller polishing in water usually produces a better finish than the same operation carried out in the dry because water naturally lubricates the propeller surface and provides access for the diver without the requirement for staging. The polishing head is continually water-cooled and the diver has no need to exert pressure on the machine because the rotation creates a vortex suction. This means the pad polishes evenly and produces no scouring.

• Underwater Repairs

ATLANTIDA regularly carry out assignments which include:

- Wet welding
- Aperture blanking
- Propeller blade repair and replacement
- Bilge keel cropping
- Anode replacement
For further information please see the "Underwater Repairs page" on this site

• Underwater Survey and Inspection

ATLANTIDA offer a fully comprehensive service providing:

- Colour CCTV
- Still photos
- NDT
- Ultrasonic testing
- Damage assessment
For further information please see our "In Water Survey & Inspection" page on this site.