RobotPlusPlus launches HighMate C20 cargo hold cleaning robot

By The Robot Report Staff | September 5, 2024

RobotPlusPlus this week provided live demonstrations of its HighMate C20 Hold Cleaning Robot at the SMM 2024 conference in Hamburg, Germany. The Beijing-based company said its new robot cleaner enhances cargo hold cleaning, an essential part of bulk carrier operations. 

Ship owners need to be sure their cargo holds are cleaned properly, noted RobotPlusPlus. Failing to do so can lead to cargo damage, noncompliance with regulations, pollution, and significant delays in operations. However, this process can stretch from several hours to several days, depending on the ship. 

RobotPlusPlus claimed that the HighMate C20 ensures reliable and efficient operations in most sea conditions, reaching up to 95% of the hold’s surface. The robot also protects seafarers from the dangers of manual cleaning at heights, said the company. 

HighMate C20 pressure washes ship holds

The HighMate C20 has five 500-bar high-pressure nozzles that can clean at 1-m (3.2 ft.) width with 95% coverage. The robot‘s maximum working pressure is equal to 100 times the pressure of a traditional fire hose and can clean up to 500 sq. m (5,381.9 sq. ft.) per hour. 

RobotPlusPlus also said the HighMate C20 is easy to operate. Most seafarers can learn the basic functions of the system in 10 minutes or less, it asserted. The company said it hopes to find partners that contribute to improving maritime shipping worldwide.

“We’re incredibly excited to launch the C20 at SMM, in front of global leaders from the maritime industry,” said Hua-yang Xu, founder and CEO of RobotPlusPlus.

“We relish the opportunity at this distinguished trade conference to also develop new partners from across the world,” he added. “At RobotPlusPlus, we’ve always been committed to innovation in the maritime industry and enjoy collaborating with like-minded partners in this space.”

More about RobotPlusPlus

Formally known as Beijing Time River Technology Co., RobotPlusPlus engineers robots to work at height. So far, its robots have cleaned approximately 1 million sq. m (10.7 million sq. ft.) since the company’s founding in 2015.

RobotPlusPlus said its robots are based on one of two platforms. Some have a magnetic platform that uses permanent magnets to stay attached to steel surfaces.

The company’s other robots are equipped with a negative-pressure platform. This allows the robot to stably move and operate on vertical or inclined surfaces. 

The company’s robotic portfolio includes hydro blasting robots for surface preparation, a multi-purpose swing arm robot, an enclosed shot-blasting and surface-roughening robot, a polishing robot, and a facade-cleaning robot. 

In the past few years, RobotPlusPlus has set its sights on growing its international customer base. In 2022, it raised $15 million in Series B funding to help it expand. 

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