Always clean hulls with the Anahid System

Venice – Anahid is the name of the first underwater platform that, thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics, enables the cleaning and sterilisation of hulls without lifting vessels out of the water.

The project, whose prototype is on display today at the Venice Boat Show at Mare Laguna, beneath the famous hands of Quinn, marks Geico’s entry into the nautical and offshore sectors. The company, based in Cinisello Balsamo, has been a world leader for over sixty years in the design and manufacture of turnkey automated systems for the painting of car bodies — technological expertise now being put at the service of the maritime world.

Prevention, monitoring and cleaning are the key words driving Geico’s investment in the nautical sector. Back in 2025, the company had already presented at the Venice Boat Show the concept of a system capable of combating the phenomenon of biofouling — the biological encrustation of hulls — without the need to dry-dock vessels. Today, that concept becomes a concrete and operational solution.

The Anahid system works by subjecting the hull of the vessel to UV‑C LED sterilising light. During the process, a network of intelligent cameras monitors submerged surfaces in real time, providing accurate feedback on the level of cleanliness and the condition of the hull, using AI-based analysis algorithms. A technology that reduces environmental impact, improves the energy efficiency of vessels and contributes to the protection of marine ecosystems — confirming Geico’s approach to innovation as both an industrial and sustainable driver.

Anahid is part of the Clarum SEAS Project – Save Energy, Anchor Sustainability, a project led by Geico in partnership with Greensailor, an Italian company specialising in eco-compatible “foul release” antifouling paints (free of solvents, copper and biocides). It is an innovative coating formula, dilutable with drinking water alone, designed to offer total protection of the marine and terrestrial environment while guaranteeing maximum durability and long-term effectiveness. The goal is to completely eliminate polluting substances from antifouling paints and make the application process simple and harmless: an innovative solution that is changing the landscape of underwater surface protection.

Thanks to the logistical support of the shipyard of the main transport company in the Venice Lagoon, the first experimental phase of the project, which began approximately one year ago, has now been completed.

Original article: Fare Vela — Carene sempre pulite con il sistema Anahid. Content reproduced with permission.