- Today’s shipowners face a simultaneous battle on two fronts, states leading paint and coatings manufacturer Jotun.
- A growing pressure to comply with ever more stringent environmental regulations is matched by a need to control costs, and enhance efficiency, in competitive marketplace.
- Confronted with such grave challenges, owners have an opportunity, to pick “the low hanging fruit” of advanced antifouling solutions, simplifying compliance.
A recent news article published in the Jotun reveals that regulatory and commercial advantage easily unlocked for owners with the right antifouling.
Environmental ambition
The IMO is expected to redouble its environmental efforts, and legislative focus, over the coming years as it aims to fulfil an ambition of reducing shipping’s carbon footprint by 50% by 2050 (with full decarbonisation by 2100).
MEPC 75 demonstrated that commitment, with the introduction of two new quantitative measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per ton-mile of cargo transported: The Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).
EEXI sets a baseline reference and may require a vessel to retrofit energy saving devices, or impose an engine power limit, while CII will be used to track and rate the vessel’s energy efficiency in actual operation, on a yearly basis.
Vessels with favourable ratings will unlock advantages in operational profitability, charter attractiveness and financing options.
“This is where developments in high quality antifoulings can make all the difference,” comments Stein Kjølberg, Global Category Director, Hull Performance, Jotun.
Smooth sailing
He explains: “Energy efficiency and carbon emissions are inextricably linked to fouling growth on ships’ hulls. Algae and barnacles add significant frictional resistance, and this results in speed loss. To compensate for that, and keep up with sailing schedules, vessels are forced to increase power. As a result, fuel consumption and carbon emissions also increase.”
“That creates obvious financial ramifications, environmental impact, and difficulties in terms of regulatory compliance. So, in short, a dirty hull is bad news for everyone.
“Keeping clean is unquestionably the way forward.”
Innovation advantage
To illustrate the compelling case for effectively combatting bio-fouling, Kjølberg points to Jotun’s own Hull Performance Solutions (HPS).
With over a decade of market proven operation, and applications on around 1000 vessels, HPS’ combination of silyl methacrylate-based coating technology, high-end technical service and monitoring has recorded success in keeping vessel speed loss as low as 1%, versus the market average of 5.9% (over a standard five-year drydocking period).
This translates to a fuel saving of 14.7%, delivering powerful commercial and environmental gains.
“We have developed this technology over more than 20 years,” Kjølberg notes,
“continually innovating to meet shipowner demand, while investing in proving efficacy to demonstrate ROI. With this in mind, HPS offers customers a highly transparent performance guarantee, with Jotun’s dedicated team of data analysts documenting and monitoring hull performance based on ISO 19030″.
“We believe HPS has effectively set a new industry standard.”
But Jotun, and Kjølberg, refuse to rest on their laurels.
Unique Approach
In March 2020, the Norwegian-headquartered firm launched Hull Skating Solutions (HSS).
This breakthrough in proactive cleaning is designed to maintain an “always clean” hull, removing bacteria and biofilm before macro-fouling can take hold.
In doing so it optimises hull performance while diminishing the need for reactive cleaning.
HSS features the ‘always-onboard’ Jotun HullSkater, the industry’s first robotic technology purposely designed for proactive cleaning.
The unit is remotely controlled via a 4G connection by expert Jotun Skate Operators, who inspect and clean, when required, a specially developed SeaQuantum Skate antifouling.
A proprietary algorithm, big data and condition monitoring (tailored to each individual vessel) are utilised to help set optimal inspection and proactive cleaning schedules.
It is unlike anything else within the marketplace.
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Source: JOTUN
