IMCA Warns of Diver Safety Risks as Hormuz Reopening Triggers 30-Fold Surge in Hull Cleaning Demand
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The International Marine Contractors Association has issued an urgent reminder to vessel owners and operators about the significant safety risks associated with underwater ship husbandry operations as approximately 600 vessels begin returning to service following extended periods at anchor in the Persian Gulf. Bloomberg has reported that orders for hull cleaning crews have jumped more than 30-fold since the announcement of an interim US-Iran peace deal reopening the Strait of Hormuz, creating precisely the conditions of commercial pressure and operational urgency that IMCA warns are associated with the most serious diving fatalities.
Scale of the Hull Maintenance Challenge
Vessels that have spent prolonged periods idle at anchor accumulate significant marine growth including algae, slime, and crustaceans on their hulls, generating two distinct problems that vessel owners must address before returning to efficient commercial service. The first is hydrodynamic drag, which reduces fuel efficiency and increases emissions and operating costs for every voyage until the hull is cleaned. The second is the biosecurity risk of transferring invasive aquatic species between regions as vessels transit from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world, a concern with direct implications for the marine ecosystems of destination ports and coastal areas. The combination of approximately 600 vessels requiring hull attention simultaneously, against a backdrop of intense commercial pressure to restore vessels to service as quickly as possible, creates a market environment in which corners can be cut and unqualified contractors selected on the basis of availability and price rather than competence and safety standards.
The Safety Record of Underwater Ship Husbandry
IMCA diving manager Bill Chilton has stated directly that underwater ship husbandry continues to have one of the highest fatality rates in the diving industry, and that serious incidents and fatalities remain unacceptably high, particularly where operations are conducted without proper planning, competent personnel, or suitable equipment. IMCA has been made aware of multiple fatalities linked to UWSH in recent years, with incidents frequently associated with unqualified or inexperienced dive teams and the use of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus rather than surface-supplied diving systems. SCUBA is particularly hazardous in ship husbandry operations because it provides no surface communication, limited gas supply management, and no immediate intervention capability in the event of a diver emergency, unlike surface-supplied systems that allow continuous monitoring and gas supply control from the surface throughout the dive.
IMCA Guidance and Industry Standards
In January 2024, IMCA published IMCA D082, Guidance on Diving Operations in Support of Underwater Ship Husbandry, providing practical and structured advice to vessel owners, operators, and contractors on the competence and adequacy of diving personnel, robust planning, risk assessments, and permit-to-work systems, and the appropriate use of equipment and diving systems. The guidance is freely available to both IMCA members and non-members as part of the association's commitment to improving safety standards across the commercial diving industry. IMCA has also conducted an awareness campaign alongside industry partners to address the specific safety challenges of UWSH, recognising that the combination of commercial pressure, variable contractor quality, and inherently hazardous operating conditions creates a persistent risk profile that requires active industry-level intervention rather than reliance on individual operator judgement.
Outlook and Industry Call to Action
As shipping activity in the region resumes and hull cleaning demand continues at elevated levels, IMCA has called on the industry to take a proactive approach to safety by selecting competent contractors, insisting on appropriate equipment and procedures, and ensuring that all diving operations are properly managed and supervised. The commercial incentive to restore vessels to service quickly is understood, but IMCA's position is that the selection of unqualified contractors or inappropriate equipment to accelerate hull cleaning exposes vessel owners and operators to safety, legal, and reputational risks that outweigh the short-term efficiency gains. For the broader marine services sector, the Hormuz-driven surge in UWSH demand illustrates how geopolitical events can rapidly create concentrated commercial pressure in specialist service segments, and how the quality and safety standards of that sector determine whether the recovery of vessel operations generates lasting damage to the industry's safety record.
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This article was contributed by an external writer affiliated with our publication.
