Cathelco enables wider hull-area protection with ultrasonic antifouling by waterproofing transducers for wet spaces

Why coverage gaps matter

There is a simple reality behind hull biofouling management: you do not need a fully fouled hull to lose performance. Localized fouling will still add drag, and drag translates quickly into higher fuel consumption and higher emissions.

The practical constraint on large vessels

For ultrasonic antifouling, achieving strong results starts with one practical requirement: being able to place transducers where they are needed to treat the entire waterside of the hull. On many large commercial vessels, that has not always been straightforward.

Large sections of the inner hull sit inside ballast tanks and other wet spaces, and traditional transducer installations require a dry environment. The result is that some ships have faced unavoidable coverage compromises, leaving parts of the waterside hull outside the treated area.

The solution: waterproof transducer installations in wet spaces

Cathelco has introduced a new cofferdam add-on to address that limitation and expand where its ultrasonic antifouling systems can be installed on large commercial vessels.

This enables installations in wet areas such as ballast tanks, bilges and other wet spaces. This in turn means transducer placement can be planned for the entire hull, rather than being dictated by where dry inner hull access happens to be available.

How the cofferdam works

The cofferdam itself is a steel housing welded to the inner hull at the planned transducer location. The transducer is mounted inside the sealed chamber and secured with a lid to maintain watertight integrity. Cofferdams are specified only where needed, so projects can add waterproofing for the particular transducer locations that require wet-space installation.

Discuss your application

To request a quotation or discuss cofferdam applications for your vessel or project, speak with the Cathelco team. We can review your vessel arrangement, identify suitable transducer locations, and advise on where cofferdams may be needed to support broader hull coverage.