Operational Readiness Assessment of a Magnetically-Adhered Crawler for Oil Spill Emergency Hull Sealing under Offshore Conditions

Oil spills from ship hull breaches pose critical risks to marine ecosystems, especially during the early response window. This study presents a magnetically adhered crawler system capable of sealing hull breaches under offshore conditions without diver intervention. The system combines magnetic track mobility, mechanical anchor deployment, and a winch-driven sealing pad into a modular platform suitable for rapid aerial or vessel transport.Developed with guidance from the Korea Coast Guard, the platform was validated through fullscaletrials conducted both on land and at sea. Offshore tests were performed under real-sea conditions involving wave-induced motion, reduced visibility, and equipment handling challenges. Despite these constraints, the crawler demonstrated stable locomotion, secure anchor engagement, and reliable sealing performance under hydrostatic pressures up to 75 kPa.Key operational issues included tether management and magnetic interference during helicopter transport. Nevertheless, the system consistently achieved effective sealing in dynamic marine environments. These findings support its readiness for offshore deployment and highlight its potential to enhance early-stage containment while minimizing personnel risk. The crawler offers a practical, field-tested solution for integration into national oil spill emergency response frameworks.