CLIIN APS

Their core work

CLIIN APS is a Danish technology SME that has developed an autonomous, on-board robotic system for continuous ship hull cleaning, designed to prevent biofouling — the accumulation of marine organisms on hulls that dramatically increases drag and fuel consumption. Their core product is an unmanned underwater vehicle that operates while the vessel is at sea, eliminating the need for dry-dock cleaning intervals. By keeping hulls clean continuously, their system reduces fuel consumption and cuts greenhouse gas emissions, addressing a significant operational cost and regulatory compliance challenge for commercial shipping. They have taken this technology from concept through market-ready product using the EU SME Instrument pathway.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

CLIIN's H2020 record shows a deliberate, linear product development arc rather than a pivot in focus. Their early project (FLIpER, 2017) was a Phase 1 feasibility study with no indexed keywords, suggesting an idea still being validated. By their Phase 2 project (HCR, 2018-2022), the technology was fully articulated around autonomous vehicles, fouling prevention, fuel efficiency, and emissions reduction. There is no shift in domain — rather, a deepening: the same core problem is addressed with increasing technical specificity and commercial intent.

CLIIN appears to have completed their EU-funded R&D cycle by 2022 and is likely now in commercial deployment — a company to approach as a technology provider rather than an R&D partner.

How they like to work

CLIIN has functioned exclusively as a solo coordinator on both projects, which is consistent with the SME Instrument programme design — these grants are awarded to single companies to develop and commercialise their own proprietary technology. There are no recorded consortium partners or multi-country collaborations in their H2020 history. This suggests they operate as an independent product developer rather than a collaborative research partner, and any future engagement would more likely take the form of a customer, licensee, or technology integration relationship.

CLIIN has no recorded consortium partners in their H2020 data, which reflects the solo-applicant nature of the SME Instrument grants they used. Their geographic footprint in terms of research collaboration is effectively limited to Denmark, though their product targets the global commercial shipping industry.

What sets them apart

CLIIN occupies a specific and defensible niche: an on-board, continuous, autonomous hull cleaning system — as opposed to the dominant industry practice of periodic dry-dock or diver-assisted cleaning. Their EU-funded development path gives them validated IP and a documented proof-of-concept trail. For shipping companies or maritime operators seeking to reduce fuel costs and meet tightening IMO emissions regulations, CLIIN represents a ready-to-evaluate commercial solution with an EU-backed development history.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HCR
  With €1.46M in Phase 2 SME Instrument funding over four years (2018-2022), this is their flagship project and represents one of the largest single-company maritime technology grants in the H2020 SME programme — a strong signal of European Commission confidence in the commercial viability of their hull cleaning system.
• FLIpER
  This Phase 1 feasibility grant (2017) marks the validated starting point of CLIIN's product journey, making it useful context for understanding the maturity and origin of their core technology.