No dry dock required: How OceanAM is reinventing marine repair

For the marine industry, the impact of repairing underwater metal structures from damage such as corrosion, abrasion, biofouling and fatigue cracks not only has a financial impact, but the need to dry dock them, bringing the structures out of the water, is disruptive to operations. The alternative is to have repairs performed by highly skilled underwater welders, but both options are costly, time consuming, and can expose workers to significant risks.

Researchers at the University of New Brunswick – Foroozan Forooghi and Mohsen Keshavarzan, both PhD candidates in mechanical engineering with backgrounds in additive manufacturing who are working under the guidance of their scientific advisor, Professor Mohsen Mohammadi – wondered if there was another way to approach the problem, one that enabled repairing underwater metal structures efficiently, safely and without taking ships or offshore assets out of service.

That question was the foundation of OceanAM, and the development of an underwater robotic additive manufacturing system capable of repairing metal components directly in the ocean.

A Robotics Solution Inspired by the Remora Fish

Forooghi and Keshavarzan are developing a 3-D printing robotic arm specifically designed for underwater maintenance of ships and offshore structures. “Our solution brings additive manufacturing underwater, allowing repairs to be completed directly at the site, reducing downtime, improving safety and lowering maintenance costs,” Forooghi said.

In the development of their technology, the team found inspiration for the mechanics from underwater life, specifically the remora fish, which attaches itself to larger marine animals. “Similarly, our system securely attaches to underwater structures using a vacuum-based attachment mechanism,” Forooghi said.

Along with OceanAM’s robotic additive manufacturing system, which can be mounted on commercial ROVs, the team has also developed an adaptive printing nozzle that creates a localized dry area underwater by displacing water, allowing metal to be deposited layer by layer directly onto the damaged surface despite the surrounding water. They are also optimizing the metal deposition process, robotic control system, and repair strategy to ensure accurate, reliable repairs in underwater environments.

“At the moment, we’re validating the technology through laboratory development and testing,” Forooghi said. “Our long-term goal is to integrate the system with commercial inspection ROVs so underwater inspection and repair can be performed using the same robotic platform.”

Mitacs Funding Bridges Research and Commercialization

The research is being funded by Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur program, which is supporting the collaboration of OceanAM and the University of New Brunswick for both academic research and technology development and commercialization.

“Mitacs has played a key role in helping us move this technology forward,” said Forooghi. Along with enabling the OceanAM team to dedicate time and resources to develop its underwater additive manufacturing system, the support has helped Forooghi and Keshavarzan advance their robotic platform and optimize the underwater printing process. “Just as importantly, Mitacs has strengthened the collaboration between our company and the university, helping us translate research into a technology with real industrial potential,” she added.

The Stakes: $345 Billion in Marine Trade

The need for this innovation is immediate. Maintenance accounts for approximately 72% of a vessel’s life-cycle costs, and transporting ships to dry dock can result in substantial downtime and repair expenses. Upwards of 80% of good Canadians use are brought to the country via ship, and marine trade has been valued in recent years of more than $345 billion.

Canada’s marine trade contributes roughly $30 billion to the national GDP every year, and by dollar value, the sector handles 20% of the country’s total international imports and exports. Improving maintenance efficiency can have a major economic benefit.

This research and development offers environmental benefits, as well. “Repairing components in place reduces transportation, fuel consumption and associated emissions,” Forooghi said. “It also extends the service life of valuable marine components, reducing waste and supporting more sustainable manufacturing practices.”

Mitacs has been an important partner in OceanAM’s journey, Foroohi said. “Its support has gone far beyond funding. It has connected us with expertise, entrepreneurial training and a strong innovation ecosystem that has helped transform our research into a company with real commercial potential. We’re excited to continue building technology that can make a meaningful impact on the future of underwater maintenance.”

“Through programs like Lab2Market and entrepreneurship training, we’ve gained valuable experience in customer discovery, market validation, commercialization and intellectual property strategy. These programs have helped us think beyond the technology itself and focus on building a company that can successfully bring this innovation to industry.” 

Foroozan Forooghi, Co-founder, OceanAM 

About Mitacs

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. We support business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

As a national innovation connector, Mitacs takes a talent-first approach to strengthen innovation capacity and drive global competitiveness. We serve as an essential research-commercialization bridge, accelerating market entry and growth for new products and services.

This is a critical time for Canada to think big and take bold action. Mitacs is ready to help build a strong and resilient Canadian economy, powered by ideas, talent and innovation.

Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.