Chasing P200 PRO Underwater Robot Transforms Maritime Safety Inspections in Yeosu, South Korea

2025 12/10

In the waters off Yeosu, South Korea, ferries and pilot boats shuttle back and forth daily, undertaking the heavy task of transporting large numbers of passengers. However, during regular navigation, issues such as ship propellers being entangled in floating debris and hull damage from hitting hidden reefs occur from time to time. Traditional ship inspection methods have obvious limitations, imposing a heavy economic burden on shipowners and making it difficult to detect daily hidden risks in a timely manner. For a long time, maritime safety has relied on annual fixed inspections. To reverse this predicament, the Yeosu Coast Guard introduced the Chasing P200 PRO underwater robot solution, promoting a shift in maritime safety inspections from "emergency response" to "proactive prevention." This innovative practice has attracted coverage from South Korea’s public media KBS, becoming a model case of industry attention.

Traditional Inspections Confront Practical Dilemmas

The underwater part of a ship is like a hidden iceberg—usually invisible, yet it may pose dangers at any time. Moon Seung-wook, Head of the Maritime Traffic Division of the Yeosu Coast Guard, admitted that aside from mandatory annual inspections, the underwater condition of ships mostly remains in a monitoring blind spot. Behind this dilemma lie multiple practical considerations: hiring professional divers incurs high costs, and using dry docks for hoisting means days of downtime losses. Many shipowners have been forced to make difficult trade-offs between economic pressure and safety needs. A representative from a cruise operating company voiced the industry’s common sentiment: "When there is an abnormality at the bottom of the hull, inviting divers to inspect is a huge cost burden, and in fact, it is also very difficult to find the root cause of the problem..." This dilemma persisted until the intervention of underwater robot technology brought a turning point.

34 Ships Receive "Underwater Physical Examinations"—Hidden Risks No Longer "Concealed Under Water"

The inspection was carried out from March 17 to June 13, 2025, coinciding with the peak spring tourism season and the "South Korean Ship Safety Transformation Inspection Period." The Yeosu Coast Guard, in collaboration with the Yeosu Shipping Management Center, conducted free inspections on 34 passenger-carrying ships within its jurisdiction, with a focus on 16 large-capacity passenger ships. This initiative aimed to eliminate underwater safety blind spots and prevent maritime accidents, focusing on key parts such as propeller shafts, propellers, and steering gears

During the inspection, the Chasing P200 PRO demonstrated multiple advantages: it can dive to a maximum depth of 200 meters, suitable for various ship types from small vessels to large cruise ships; it can capture images of the propellers, steering gears, hull exterior, and floating debris, and transmit high-definition footage in real time, helping the coast guard detect and address issues promptly. Through underwater robot operations, inspection schedules became more flexible, reducing operational risks while cutting costs

Remarkable Inspection Results—Benefiting Multiple Parties

The joint underwater robot inspection achieved remarkable results: all underwater inspections of the 34 passenger-carrying ships were completed smoothly, and the entire process was more economical and safer. Shipowners expressed high satisfaction with the service, with a satisfaction score of 94.1 in the first inspection and an increase to 96.9 in the second. During this period, the number of passengers using ferry services reached approximately 320,000, which means the Yeosu Coast Guard successfully achieved safety management during the peak tourism season without a single maritime accident.

The Yeosu Coast Guard stated that the annual passenger capacity of ships in its jurisdiction is approximately 1.35 million. In the event of an accident, the consequences would be severe. This underwater robot inspection effectively ensured navigation safety and provided the coast guard with a reliable means of hidden risk prevention.

Underwater Robots Usher in New Ideas for Maritime Safety Management

The Chasing P200 PRO fully demonstrated its advantages in efficiency, cost, and safety during this initiative, providing replicable practical experience for global maritime traffic safety. What the Chasing P200 PRO brings is not only the efficient execution of a single task, but also the verification of a new paradigm for maritime safety operation and maintenance characterized by "preventive, regular, and low-burden" practices. Through technological empowerment, Chasing Innovation’s underwater robots are driving a profound transformation in the maritime safety governance model.

Source: KBS News Report

Video Link:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEZ9pjYT8i8

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