Marine
Hull & Engine Cleaning Without Abrasive Damage

Marine dry ice blasting removes biofouling, barnacles, and marine growth from hulls and gel coat surfaces without the abrasive damage caused by traditional scrubbing or grit blasting. Our dry process also cleans engine compartments and bilges without water ingress risk.

Request a survey→

What we clean

Surfaces we've taken
down to honest metal.

Hull Biofouling RemovalEngine Compartment CleaningBilge CleaningDeck & Superstructure Restoration

How it compares

→Unlike antifouling scrubbing, dry ice blasting does not abrade or thin the gel coat — protecting the structural integrity of the hull skin
→Unlike pressure washing, the dry process creates no water ingress into closed compartments, voids, or engine spaces where moisture causes long-term damage
→Unlike chemical antifouling treatments, there is no environmental run-off into marina water — important for compliance in sensitive coastal areas
→Unlike sandblasting or grit blasting, dry ice leaves no secondary contamination on the vessel or surrounding area, and does not require expensive media recovery

Method · in detail

№ 01: No abrasive damage to gel coat, antifouling paint, or fibreglass substrates
№ 02: No water ingress risk in engine compartments or enclosed spaces
№ 03: Removes barnacles and marine growth without chemical treatment
№ 04: Dry process — no secondary water discharge requiring environmental permits
№ 05: No chemical run-off into waterways — compliant with marina environmental rules

Marine cleaning is typically performed with vessels ashore or in dry dock. We work alongside boatyards and marinas across the UK and can coordinate with your haul-out schedule to minimise additional out-of-water time.

Common questions

Things people ask first.

Q · 01: Is dry ice blasting safe for fibreglass and GRP hulls?
Yes. Dry ice blasting is non-abrasive and will not damage fibreglass, GRP, or composite hull materials when applied at correct pressures. It is widely used for hull cleaning precisely because it removes fouling without thinning or abrading protective gel coat layers.
Q · 02: Can dry ice blasting remove osmotic blisters?
Dry ice blasting can clean the surface and remove contamination around blistered areas, but it does not treat osmosis directly. Osmotic blister repair requires the hull to be dried, blisters opened, treated with epoxy filler, and recoated. We can prepare the surface before your osmosis treatment if required.
Q · 03: Will it damage antifouling paint?
This depends on the condition of the antifouling. Heavily built-up, peeling, or ablative antifouling may be partially removed. If the goal is to clean biofouling while preserving intact antifouling, we adjust pressure to minimise paint removal. If the goal is full antifouling strip-back before repainting, dry ice blasting is an excellent preparation method.
Q · 04: Is the process safe to use around aluminium fittings and stainless steel hardware?
Yes. Dry ice blasting is safe on aluminium, stainless steel, bronze, and other marine metals. It removes oxidisation and salt deposits from fittings without chemical reaction or abrasion, leaving metal surfaces clean and ready for inspection or coating.