China’s robotics industry is quietly cornering a new niche – and shipyards stand to gain

China's robotics industry is developing a new niche in high-altitude operations, with a Zhejiang-based supplier, RobotPlusPlus, leading the way. The company has introduced an autonomous climbing robot designed for ship hull cleaning and descaling. This robot offers a safer alternative to manual labor and can extend a vessel's service life. According to RobotPlusPlus, its system can clean over 98 percent of a ship's hull, increasing efficiency fivefold and reducing costs by 30 to 50 percent compared to traditional methods. This innovation positions Chinese robotics to benefit shipyards by improving maintenance processes.