Storyline: China-developed cabin-cleaning robot revolutionizes ship maintenance [Voice_over] A small water spraying robot, developed by engineers from China COSCO Shipping, is now being used to clean bulk carriers when they change cargo. Typically, bulk carriers transport a range of commodities, from coal and grain to iron ore and fertilizer. When switching cargo types, the ships must be thoroughly cleaned to prevent cross-contamination. That's where the robot comes in. This 220-meter-long bulk carrier at the Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province was recently cleaned using the device. Each of the vessel's 3,300 square meter cargo holds- seven in total- were cleaned in a matter of hours, compared to the three of four days of manual labor it normally takes. A researcher at the shipping company said the device is safer and faster, saving time and money. [Sound_bite] Tan Long, researcher, China COSCO Shipping (Qingdao) Company: "Such a tiny robot can clean over 900 square meters per hour. It takes only three hours for it to clean a single cargo hold, and just 24 hours to clean an entire bulk carrier of over 220 meters long. Compared to traditional manual cleaning, it not only significantly improves cleaning efficiency, but also greatly reduces labor costs." [Voice_over] Equipped with remote control, curved-surface mobility, and high-low pressure water jets, it can adapt to various ship designs to effectively clean complex interior surfaces. But how does it seem to defy gravity, by moving up walls and onto ceilings? Developers say the secret is that… [Sound_bite] Tan Long, researcher, China COSCO Shipping (Qingdao) Company: "It is equipped with a curved permanent magnet that firmly adheres to the cargo hold's walls, enabling the robot to navigate over internal and external corners exceeding 120 degrees and overcome obstacles up to 40 millimeters high, ensuring completion of high-altitude cleaning tasks." [Voice_over] Looking ahead, the research team plans to integrate navigation and real-time path planning technologies into the robot, which will allow it to autonomously adjust its route. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]