SANDBLASTING old paint off ships in dry dock creates heaps of toxic flecks
and grit. A new robot that employs jets of water to strip hulls down to bare
metal could be far more environmentally friendly.
The robot has magnetic wheels that grip the hull as it rolls along,
stripping the paint with ultra-high-pressure jets of water. The used
water is sucked back through a hose. Unlike the sand used by sandblasters, water
can be recycled, while the old paint is filtered out and stored in a drum.
“It’s an environmental nightmare to be sandblasting with grit. To strip a big…
