C-leanship

Based in Denmark, C-leanship operates as a specialized maritime service provider focused on underwater hull maintenance and vessel inspections. Established in 2011, the company functions within the global shipping industry by offering robotic solutions for biofouling management, distinct from traditional methods that rely on human divers. The company’s headquarters are located in Køge, south of Copenhagen, but its operational footprint extends to major international shipping hubs, most notably Singapore, as well as locations in Belgium and South Korea. The core of the company’s operations revolves around the deployment of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). These robotic units are designed to clean ship hulls while the vessel is at anchor or alongside a terminal. A key operational characteristic of C-leanship is its ability to conduct these services simultaneously with cargo handling or bunkering operations, a practice known as SIMOPS. This approach eliminates the need for vessels to enter downtime specifically for cleaning, thereby integrating maintenance into standard port calls. The company utilizes proprietary technology that employs water jets to remove marine growth without damaging the vessel’s anti-fouling paint. From an environmental and regulatory perspective, C-leanship addresses two primary concerns in the maritime sector: fuel efficiency and biosecurity. By removing biofouling—such as barnacles and slime—the company aids shipowners in restoring the hydrodynamic profile of their vessels, which reduces drag and lowers fuel consumption. Furthermore, the company’s ROV systems are equipped with capture-and-containment technology. This filtration capability collects the removed biological debris rather than releasing it back into the water, preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species and ensuring compliance with increasingly strict local and international environmental standards. C-leanship is a privately held entity, backed by industrial investors including Saab Ventures and the shipping-focused Wallenius group. This ownership structure connects the company to broader expertise in defense technology and fleet management. The organization continues to expand its fleet of robotic units to meet growing demand in high-traffic ports, providing shipping lines with verifiable digital reports and video evidence of hull conditions following inspections and cleaning procedures.