Clean hull solution

In-transit hull cleaning and inspection robots

hansa-award

Inspired by nature

LARABICUS is a robotic cleaner fish designed for autonomous, in-transit ship hull maintenance. Its innovative propulsion system harnesses energy from surrounding water, enabling prolonged operation. Highly maneuverable, it navigates around intricate ship attachments, offering comprehensive cleaning. Post cleaning the LARABICUS system issues a cleaning report about the hull condition and proving that the ship is fouling free.

LARABICUS reduces fuel consumption and minimizes the risk of transporting invasive species, making it an eco-friendly solution for the maritime industry.

Cleaning as a service

You focus on logistics; we keep your hull compliant

No additional downtime

LARABICUS serves 24/7, in transit, autonomously 

Stay competitive!

Reduce your fuel consumption up to 15% and maximize fuel efficiency 

Predictive maintenance

Keep your fleet up and running with reduced maintenance time

Always compliant with international regulations

Continuous reporting by LARABICUS guarantees your fleet full access to all destinations

Integrity of hull coating

Soft cleaning mechanisms keep coating intact

2035 - Carbon intensity indicator

Get in touch! We show you how to superceed global standards

Meet the Team

Dr. Florian Gerland

Dr. Florian Gerland

CEO

Postdoc in fluid dynamics & mechanical engineering

Thomas Schomberg

Thomas Schomberg

CTO

Lead Engineer, writing his doctorate in fluid dynamics

Tatjana Liese

Tatjana Liese

CSO

Master of Science in Biological Oceanography

We are hiring

Meet the Team

Dr. Florian Gerland
CEO
Postdoc in fluid dynamics & mechanical engineering

Thomas Schomberg
CTO
Lead Engineer, writing his doctorate in fluid dynamics

Tatjana Liese
CSO
Master of Science in Biological Oceanography

We are hiring

Meet the Team

Dr. Florian Gerland
CEO
Postdoc in fluid dynamics & mechanical engineering

Thomas Schomberg
CTO
Lead Engineer, writing his doctorate in fluid dynamics

Tatjana Liese
CSO
Master of Science in Biological Oceanography

We are hiring

Our Mission

We believe in biocide-free and net zero emission shipping

Reducing GHG emissions

Less drag means less fuel consumption and results in minimal GHG emissions; that simple!

Conservation of marine life

Making the use of biocidal coating chemicals obsolete, thus saving marine life

Alternative fuels

Enabling the transition into a new era of transportation with green fuels, since they are only economical with clean hulls

Decent work

LARABICUS cleans autonomously, making manual and dangerous cleaning by divers obsolete

Ecosystem balance

Fighting a main contributor to invasive aquatic species introduction: fouling on ship hulls; thus safeguarding ecosystems

Developing new technologies

We pave the way for future inventions and optimization in the shipping industry 

Press and News

HANSA Young Innovators Award

Larabicus hull cleaning technology received the HANSA Young Innovators Award 2023. The award is given once a year to particularly forward-thinking innovators in the field of performance technologies for maritime vehicles by the HANSA International Maritime Journal […]

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First prize in Hesse Ideas Competition

Den mit 5.000 Euro dotierten ersten Preis erhielten Florian Gerland, Thomas Schomberg und Tatjana Liese von der Universität Kassel für ihr Projekt „Larabicus – Roboter-Putzerfische für Handelsschiffe“. Das „Larabicus“-Team hat auch den Publikumspreis gewonnen, […]

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Cleaner fish for ship hulls

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
2023/11/24

Mit einem künstlichen Putzerfisch wollen junge Forscher aus Kassel den Treibstoffverbrauch in der Seefahrt vermindern. Das käme auch dem Klima zugute […]

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Cleaning for the climate

publik, University of Kassel
2023/10/05

Ein 100.000 Tonnen schweres Handelsschiff fährt durch die Weltmeere.  Nicht nur an Bord, auch unter der Wasseroberfläche wird hart gearbeitet: Ein halbes Dutzend kleiner Putzroboter […]

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A clean idea for shipping

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine
2023/09/12

Was mit einer hauchdünnen grünen Schleimschicht beginnt, wächst sich in der Schifffahrt schnell zu einem massiven Problem aus: Die Rede ist von Biofouling. So nennt man es, wenn sich Algen, Seepocken, Muscheln und andere Organismen auf Schiffsrümpfen ansiedeln […]

 

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Larabicus develops cleaning robots for ship hulls

Shipping Telegraph
2023/09/05

Florian Gerland and Thomas Schomberg from the University of Kassel in Germany and their team have obtained EXIST research transfer funding of Euro 1.2 million for their “Larabicus” project […]

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Larabicus develops cleaning robots for ship hulls

University of Kassel
2023/09/04

Für ihr Projekt „Larabicus“ haben Florian Gerland und Thomas Schomberg von der Universität Kassel mit ihrem Team eine EXIST-Forschungstransfer-Förderung in Höhe von 1,2 Millionen Euro eingeworben […]

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Robotic fish for clean ships

Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine
2020/11/16

Wer im Sommer das Wasser schon mal ein paar Tage im Planschbecken stehen lassen hat, kennt das Phänomen: Ruckzuck bildet sich ein grüner Belag auf dem Becken, der erstaunlich hartnäckig ist […]

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Robotic cleaner fishes bring success at UNIKAT ideas competition

University of Kassel
2020/10/22

Spitzen-Ideen auch in Pandemie-Zeiten: Mehr als 82 Skizzen sind beim diesjährigen Ideenwettbewerb der Uni Kassel eingereicht worden. Den ersten Platz erhielt der Entwurf eines Systems zum Putzen von Schiffsrümpfen […]

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Lets get in touch!

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