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From the publishers of Ship Efficiency : The Guide
Published by
Fathoms newest publication range is the Fathom FOCUS series. These in-depth guides to specific efficiency topics and market
areas are available to the shipping community to use as a free reference source. The first edition was titled Choosing the Optimum
Lubricant Solutions for your Operation
Email: info@fathomshipping.com
Website: www.fathomshipping.com
Proud Sponsors of
Hull Coatings for Vessel Performance
A Century of Pioneering Leadership
Hempel was founded in Denmark in 1915 by Jrgen Christian Hempel. Driven by innovation and the vision of helping to protect
man-made structures from corrosion and fouling, the company has developed and grown into a world-leading coatings supplier
working in the decorative, protective, marine, container and yacht markets.
In 1917, Hempel introduced the worlds first antifouling coating for ships hulls based on modern science and technology. Today,
Hempel is among the world leaders within antifouling and fouling release technology, and retains a close bond with the scientific
community. Hempel filed its first silicone patent in 1972 and the companys first commercial silicone-based coating, HEMPASIL,
was introduced in 1999. This pioneering product created a smooth, non-stick surface on the hull, preventing marine organisms
from attaching to it. The result was less drag in the water, lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.
Over the years, Hempels research and development lab continued to improve this technology by optimizing its long-term stability
and mechanical properties, leading to HEMPASIL X3, Hempels flagship fouling release product with a fuel saving guarantee.
Hempel is committed to constant improvement of its performance with regard to energy efficiency and environmental impact. The
development of ActiGuard technology arose out of a wish to pursue an entirely new concept that would set the bar way above
current standards. Fouling control was no longer enough. The goal now was a Fouling Defence solution that effectively protects
against fouling throughout the service interval.
Hempels new patented ActiGuard technology introduces a new and unique way of producing an underwater hull coating
containing a silicone-hydrogel that not only enables controlled biocide release, but also has the necessary long-term stability
and mechanical properties. Hempels latest hull coating product, HEMPAGUARD, is the first to be based on this patented
technology, offering substantial economic and environmental advantages.
We are committed to remaining focused on our goals, adaptable in a fast-changing world and quick to implement new ideas.
We will strive to increase our understanding of our markets and customers, and offer innovative solutions that add value to their
business, Hempels Christian Ottosen concludes.
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Welcome!
Following the success of the inaugural edition of We discuss key emerging trends, including the
Fathom FOCUS Choosing the Optimum Lubricant legislative landscape, the development of solutions
Solutions for your Operation Fathom is proud to for Arctic conditions, and increased demand for
bring you the second edition of Fathom FOCUS - more fuel economy, for example.
Hull Coatings for Vessel Performance.
In keeping with our usual structure, this publication
As you may already know, this is just one of the offers broader market-based editorial and analysis,
technology areas covered in our flagship publication coupled with manufacturer profiles that offer in-
Ship Efficiency: The Guide. depth technical detail on individual hull coatings
solutions. In addition to the coatings themselves,
Ship Efficiency: The Guide maps out a litany Hull Coatings for Vessel Performance includes
of abatement technologies and ship efficiency a chapter on monitoring hull performance and a
techniques, and is comprehensive in focus. It was chapter on hull cleaning, with profiles from hull
designed to be your road map for the labyrinth that is cleaning service providers.
ship efficiency.
Why the Publication can
Our free Fathom FOCUS mini-guides give the reader
the opportunity to have access to comprehensive Benefit Your Operations
information that is in much more depth and that has
focus on a single technology area. Biofouling can reduce ship efficiency by up to 40%,
which results in massive fuel penalties that directly
eat into the bottom line of your operations. Quite
What Information you Should simply, an un-healthy hull can really adversely affect
Expect a healthy bank balance.
Our Fathom FOCUS series is reminiscent of our The hull coatings sector is undergoing a period of
guides in that they offer a technically led, but easy change that posits exciting opportunities for the
to understand analysis of the solutions on offer, sector and is a key stepping stone to a sustainable
in addition to offering insight into the key issues and profitable industry.
affecting the market.
We hope that you find this publication useful and an
This edition of the FOCUS series will shine a interesting read!
spotlight on the apparent lack of faith in the industry
that has resulted from the clash between super slow Warmest regards,
steaming, laying up and foul release coatings, and
the banning of tributyltin (TBT), in addition to a
plethora of market influencing events that have
occurred over the last few decades. Catherine McMillan
SEPTEMBER, 2013
FATHOM FOCUS
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i e n cy
Effi c
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E R 1 ul l i n Sh
A P T f t h eH
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C portant R o le o
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The hull of a ship is a key piece of the ship Each additional 10m to 20m of roughness,
efficiency puzzle. The physical ability of the ship to ABS estimates, can increase the total resistance
cut through the waves in a streamlined manner is of experienced by the hull by 1% for full form ships
paramount importance to fuel economy. such as tankers and carriers, and by 0.5% for ships at
high speeds.
Therefore, improving hull performance plays a
pivotal role, because a smooth hull is an optimally Ships are regularly delivered with a very low surface
hydrodynamic hull. roughness at around 75m. ABS state that later in
the ships life cycle, the very same vessel could
enter a dry dock with a roughness of 250m, which
The Hull Roughness Factor would mean that by the time it is dry-docked the
vessel will have been fighting against an increased
The key factors that affect hull performance are the resistance of up to 17%, leading to an increase in
shape of the hull, the condition of the hull itself, the fuel consumption of 3 to 4% compared to when it
coating used on the hull and the nature and extent of first went into operation.
fouling on the hull.
Historical records have shown that even with good
This edition of Fathom FOCUS looks at those maintenance practices average hull roughness can
factors that can vary during the vessel lifecycle the increase by 10 to 25 m per year, depending on
coating used on the hull and the nature and extent the hull coating system, even when fouling is not
of the fouling. This publication also delves into the included.
anti-fouling coatings market, the monitoring of the
coatings results and also the hull cleaning market.
As mentioned there are two ways to do this: A fast-growing technology in its own right, the latest
hull coatings have shown considerable potential for
- Hull form and dimension optimisation: substantial eco-efficiency savings over the past few
The shape of the ship itself is arguably the years. Following the ban on TBT-based coatings in
most important element of ensuring the ships 2008, research into alternative options has increased
hydrodynamics because it is also one of the few tremendously.
choices that will stay with the ship for the duration
of the ships life-cycle; once the ship has been built, Hull coatings now aim to not just reduce fouling but
whilst some parts of the ship can be integrated, make the hull surface as smooth as possible.
automated and retrofitted for further efficiency
savings, you cannot change the shape of your hull. Most hull coatings today are designed to reduce
hydrodynamic drag and to prevent the build-up
- Coatings and hull roughness: Hull coatings and of marine organisms. This also leads to a variety
the circumvention of hull roughness play a key for fuel saving claims and the nature of these are
role in ensuring optimal hydrodynamics of the hull addressed in Chapter Four but claims for the fuel
and ship. The preservation of hull smoothness can savings they can deliver vary.
represent significant fuel savings however, when
comparing this figure to the fuel penalties involved Coating systems usually consist of a primer, possibly
when the hull becomes rough from either physical or a tie coat and then one or more coats of the product.
biological fouling, the potential fuel savings become
much, much more. Each product has its own role, the primer is the first
barrier to corrosion, the tie coat bonds the primer
and the final product coating delivers the protection
Optimisation of Hull that the system is designed for.
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Hull Cleaning
It is inevitable that once a ship is in water bio- A full blast and re-application of anti-fouling can
fouling will occur, it is therefore essential to keep cost about US$10 per square metre, which would
the hull clear of all matter to ensure the safety and total at around US$300k for a typical VLCC, whilst
efficiency of the vessel. Despite the use of effective just a clean will be about US$50k.
anti-fouling systems and operational practices, bio-
fouling will still accumulate on the hull of the vessel. The cost of maintenance is a testament to how
expensive fouling can be when maintenance still
To maintain a ship as free of bio-fouling as practical, works out to be much cheaper. Cleaning a light slime
it may be advisable for the ship to undertake in- results in 7 to 9% reduction in the fuel bill, whilst
water inspection, cleaning and maintenance. heavy slime means up to 18% less, and heavy macro
fouling can offer a reduction of up to 30%.
Typically, every 5 years a ship will be inspected in
dry dock, where a full clean is usually undertaken
and new applications of anti-fouling paint can be
applied where necessary. However the optimum
Hull Threats
interval between the periodic cleanings and
There are two key threats to hull integrity; physical
inspections will vary with the type of vessel, the
threats and biological threats, both of which
location of the vessel and its service profile (speed of
negatively impact the hull in a number of ways, but
operation, idle time, etc).
all with the same result: hull roughness.
BIMCOs Framework
Physical Threat: Corrosion
A recently released BIMCO Circular has suggested
Corrosion is an incredibly common phenomenon.
a framework for the delegation of hull cleaning and
hull maintenance responsibilities in the wake of
Ships are made of metal and the sea is a mass of
slow-steaming and long periods of idleness in port,
salty, moving water metals nemesis. To counteract
in particular in tropical waters where fouling has a
the corrosive effect of sea water on a Ships metal
tendency to be the most aggressive.
hull, a hull coating forms a barrier between the metal
and the water, thereby ensuring the Ships surface
Whilst previously it would have undisputedly been
integrity is protected.
the responsibility of the ship owner after a period
of docking to clean the hull (failure to do so would
However, if for whatever reason the coating is
result in the owner being liable to pay the operator
damaged, corrosion becomes a very real prospect
the cost of the resulting fuel penalties), BIMCO has
and the nature of corrosion means that any corrosion
seen fit to respond to the new market trend that has
on the hull surface is difficult and expensive to
seen extensive fouling on hulls due to periods of
rectify. Even following repairs, micro-pitting can
idleness a tactic selected by the operator and not
be present in the repaired area, which weakens it and
the owner.
makes it a candidate for future damage or fouling.
To ensure it is the decision-maker who reaps the
Other macro physical symptoms of hull damage are
consequences of the decisions taken, BIMCO
plate laps, seams and butts, weld roughness, weld
suggests deciding the period of idleness in advance
quality, and mechanical damage; however (aside
(the default is suggested at 14 days) after which
from the obvious issue of coating condition) these
point responsibility for the condition of the hull
types of hull threats are not linked to the hull coating
switches to the operator.
and would have to be covered under specific hull
maintenance and repair programmes that include
but also go above and beyond just the issue of hull
coatings.
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Biological Threat: Fouling
Like physical hull threats, biological threats to the Fouling refers to the accumulation of unwanted
hull can be divided across the category of macro and material on solid surfaces, most often in an aquatic
micro, both of which wreak havoc on the integrity of environment. As further described below, the fouling
the hull via attachment. The build of said attachment material can consist of either living organisms
severely impacts the hydrodynamics of the ship. (bio-fouling) or a non-living substance (inorganic
or organic) and is often a combination of the two.
Also, like physical threats, the relative seriousness Fouling is usually distinguished from other surface-
and impact on the overall hulls health is also growth phenomena in that it occurs on a surface of
reflected in whether or not it is a micro or macro a component, system or plant performing a defined
issue. and useful function (such as a ship hull or propeller),
and the fouling process impedes or interferes with
However, even minor bio-fouling has a significant this function.
impact on the overall profitability of the vessels
operations when considered across a fleet and a Bio-fouling is not as simple a process as it sounds.
vessels 25-30 year lifetime. Organisms do not usually simply suck onto a
substrate. The complex process often begins with the
Roughness caused by micro bio-fouling is production of a biofilm.
caused by slime, and results in an increase in fuel
consumption between 1 to 2%. Macro bio-fouling Contact and colonisation between the microorganism
refers to animals and plants, and its impact on fuel (biofilm actors) and the surface is promoted by
consumption greatly varies depending on the nature the movement of water through Brownian motion,
of the unwanted guest. Whilst seaweed will cause sedimentation and convective transport, although
a fuel consumption increase of up to 10%, shells organisms can also actively seek out substrates
barnacles, oysters, and mussels for example can due to propulsion using flagella. Bacteria and other
cause a massive increase of 40%. colonising microorganisms secrete extracellular
poly- meric substances (EPS) to envelope and
In addition to fuel penalties in the short and long anchor them to the substrate thereby altering the
term, extensive bio-fouling will eventually lead to local surface chemistry which can stimulate further
hull corrosion, which further compounds what was growth such as the recruitment and settlement of
already a significant additional expense. macroorganisms.
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Biofilm is characterised by 5 stages of growth: Macro Bio-Fouling
Stage 1 Initial attachment Macro bio-fouling can be divided into two
categories.
Stage 2 Irreversible attachment
The first, calcareous or hard fouling can include:
Stage 3 Growth I barnacles, bryozoans (which look a bit like an
underwater moss), mollusks, tube worms, and zebra
Stage 4 Growth II mussels.
In the absence of hull fouling control systems, within His conclusion from the studies was: The main
six months of active service a vessel could have up cost associated with fouling is the increased fuel
to 150 kilograms of marine life per square metre consumption from increased frictional drag.
attached to the hull. This obviously has huge fuel
efficiency and bunker fuel cost implications. The costs related to hull cleaning and painting are
much lower than the fuel costs, Schultz reports
Loss of speed from moderate fouling can range in Economic Impact of Bio-fouling on a Naval
between 10% to 18%. Surface Ship, published in the journal Biofouling.
With hull resistance and drag having such an Furthermore, Schultz said, a hull neednt be fouled
immense impact of bunker fuel consumption, ship to drag. Even when the hull is free of fouling,
owners and operators are looking for hull coatings frictional drag on some hull types can account for up
and cleaning solutions that deliver the highest impact to 90% of total drag, he reported.
on drag reduction.
According to a white paper released by Hydrex,
A study published by the United States Naval entitled The Slime Factor published in 2010, uses
Academy, compiled by Dr Michael P Schultz, the example of a cargo ship that requires 100 tonnes
released in 2011 entitled Economic impact of bio- of fuel per day to maintain a cruising speed of 20
fouling on a naval surface ship estimated the overall knots with a completely smooth and unfouled hull,
economic impact of hull fouling on a mid-sized the way it was at its first speed trials.
naval surface ship in which fuel, hull coatings, hull
coating application and removal, and hull cleaning If that ship were to build up a thin layer of slime in
costs were analysed and assessed. a month and a thick layer of slime in two months,
by the end of those two months of sailing, it would
Following the reports release Schultz conveyed the be requiring 110 tonnes of fuel per day to maintain
message: the same cruising speed. Applying a fuel price of
US$450 per tonne, which is majorly conservative
Ship owners: paint now, or pay later in todays market, the slime build-up would cause a
fuel penalty of an additional US$4,500 per day just
Schultzs research quantified the economic to keep operating at the same service speed. Even
consequences of drag from ship hull fouling. if the fouling remained at that level, in a month it
would have used US$135,000 more fuel than it
The study looked at the hull fouling penalty for would have if the hull were clean. In a year, at that
the U.S. Navys conventionally powered, mid- same rate, it would have cost US$1.62 million more
sized surface combatant: the Arleigh Burke-class than if the hull had remained clean.
destroyer (DDG-51). The study examined 320 actual
individual inspection reports from Jan. 1, 2004, to International Paint has also calculated the immense
Dec. 31, 2006. fuel penalties and savings that can be generated
across various pieces of literature. An example of
It was found that resistance due to hull fouling such is provided below.
amounted to US$56 million per year for the DDG-51
class destroyer fleet, and about US$1 billion over 15 A 5000 TEU containership that consumes 150 tonnes
years. of fuel per day at US$500 per tonne, their annual
fuel bill would amount to US$131,625,000. A saving
of 9%, from the optimisation of hull smoothness
through prevention of fouling build up would equal a
saving of US$12million off the annual fuel bill.
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Environmental Impact of Hull
Fouling
Emissions Invasive Species Widening the Bio-
Fouling Boundaries
The reduction in fuel burn and emissions is directly
proportional. Whilst the problem of ballast water and invasive
species has been widely recognised by both the
The worse the fouling, the slower the ship will sail at media and regulatory bodies the issue of the
a given RPM. Or in other words, more power will be transference of invasive species via other areas of
required to keep the ship sailing at a given speed. ship have to date been relatively overlooked.
This results in higher fuel consumption and a A noteworthy contributor to the issue of invasive
higher fuel consumption results in a greater volume species imported and exported across the world
of greenhouse gases and other emissions being along with the worlds trade and goods is the
produced during the process of fuel combustion. presence of bio-fouling communities that establish
themselves on the hull.
According to Bellona and the Clean Shipping
Coalition (CSC), poor hull & propeller performance The zebra mussel for example has caused huge
accounts for around 1/10 of world-fleet energy cost problems in the US Great Lakes because it is a
and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. voracious eater that has a devastating impact on
other members of the ecosystem.
~ US$30 billion increase in energy cost and
They also decimate native mussel populations by
~ 0.3% increase in man-made carbon emissions subjecting them to their own medicine through bio-
fouling; they attach themselves to the hard outer
The previous example of International Paints 5000 shell of the native mussel, decimating the native
TEU containership that uses 150 tonnes of fuel carrier.
per day as described in more depth in the previous
section, would emit 77,000 tonnes less of CO2 as a As this behaviour suggests, zebra mussels are
byproduct of the anti-fouling coating application and aggressive bio-foulers and the species proliferates
associated fuel savings. in a wide variety of environments, thereby exposing
shipping communities to the threat of zebra mussel
If the worlds fleet didnt have proper anti-fouling bio-fouling areas that were previously safe and
protection, International Paint estimates that an extra therefore unprepared.
72 million tonnes of fuel would be burned each year.
If this scenario was flipped, and the savings were not The zebra mussel, for obvious reasons, is in the top
realised, the increased fuel consumption would lead 10 of BIMCOs Most Unwanted list but only one
to the production and release into the environment of many invasive species that bio-fouling has helped
of an estimated extra 210 million tonnes of carbon to introduce to native ecosystems the world over.
dioxide and 5.6 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide.
However, it is only one example of many as invasive
species brought over from far away is an endemic
and systemic problem in shipping; hull coatings have
a vital part to play in limiting the further spread of
invasive species around the world.
The activity and interest in the marine coatings A transition towards more premium solutions,
market has boomed in recent years. This is due to offering significant savings in fuel consumption and
a number of factors but not least including ship carbon dioxide emissions compared to the current
owners searching for clean technology solutions that market average, is predicted by most of the major
can offer technical maturity and proven fuel savings marine coatings companies.
but also factors such as the decline in the ship
newbuilding market and resultant increase in ship Also, the market is seeing a new driver emerge.
repair and maintenance have played a major part. In collaboration with the marine coatings industry
marine coatings provider, Jotun is currently leading
There is of course also the growing urgency to an initiative to establish reliable measurability of
minimise fuel consumption penalties wherever hull performance. This was spurred by a historical
possible whilst a shift in the regulatory landscape lack of accurate and reliable measurability on hull
is enforcing a movement towards reduced performance that has resulted in limited incentives to
environmental impact. invest lifetime performance in both newbuilding and
maintenance situations.
This change has meant that both industry and its
technology providers, including the marine coatings Therefore, this initiative will be absolutely crucial to
sector, have had to respond and reconfigure how the increase market awareness and contribute to growth
current and future regulatory and market landscape in the marine coatings market.
can work best for business.
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A History of the Market: Key Milestones
The Fouling of Ships Hulls has Troubled Mankind for Centuries
Timeline courtesy of International Paint History of Fouling Control
To understand the current trends and drivers Naval institutions have spurred a great deal of
influencing the market today, and the developments ground-breaking research. Prompted by a desire to
that could trigger expansion, an understanding of obtain more fundamental knowledge as to how to
how the market has evolved is required. prevent fouling, various naval institutions arranged
biological investigations which has been fundamental
The need to keep a smooth hull and experimentation to shaping the evolution of the market.
around the types of coatings that can be used is as
old as the maritime industry itself. In the industrys The work has supplied valuable information on
infancy, various compounds were used to coat the the toxicity of potential paint ingredients to marine
hull in an attempt to dissuade marine life from organisms, on the nature of the fouling population,
becoming an attached pest. its rate of growth, its seasonal and geographical
incidence, and the relation of the service in which
The first successful anti-fouling surface to receive ships are employed to their tendency to foul.
general recognition was copper sheathing.
For example, an early proposal that identified
William Beale filed the first coating patent in as early that slimes produced by bacteria and diatoms on
as 1625. This coating was surprisingly on the right submerged surfaces had an important bearing on
track, containing iron powder, copper and cement. subsequent fouling aroused much interest, and
has been a pillar for innovation throughout the
In 1670, a tar, resin and beeswax-based coating was development of anti-fouling coatings.
then patented by Philip Howard and Frances Watson.
Following much research into the occurrence of
The historical market pathway has been littered with fouling and the development around hull coating
scientific discovery. options the problem of preventing the attachment
of organisms became one of applied physical
chemistry rather than a game of permutations and
combinations.
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Regulation of the Hull
Coatings Industry
A more recent pivotal market-shaping event in As shipping is global in nature variations in
recent times was the banning of TBT -based hull regional and local environmental regulations have
coatings. Its presence in hull coatings prevented an industry-wide impact, and this is in addition to
marine growth to an unprecedented level and for the global regulations that govern all areas.
industry it was a revelation.
Regulations are making it technically more
However, TBT-based paint was also extremely toxic challenging to deliver coatings that perform,
to non-target organisms. It is an endocrine-disrupting however in the same breath, regulations are helping
chemical, which means affected aquatic animals to increase the value add associated with higher
would have disruptions in reproduction; whelks levels of performance where the coatings have an
would change sex and oysters became deformed. impact on energy efficiency in particular.
There was also the frightening possibility of the Many stakeholders within the industry regard
bioaccumulative aspect of the compound in some environmental regulations as an important driver of
ducks, fish and seals, and the resultant threat of it innovation in the marine coatings market.
eventually entering the food chain and appearing on
peoples plates. It is a delicate balance however between the benefit
to the environment, the economic impact, and the
In reaction to what was perceived as a fast constraints of technology.
approaching ecological disaster, the IMO passed the
International Convention on the Control of Harmful As described in the previous section, the Anti-
Anti-fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention), fouling Systems Convention (AFSC) outlawed the
which was adopted in October 2001 and came into use of TBT-based paints. In response to the AFSC,
force in September 2008. the major hull coating manufacturers voluntarily
decided to withdraw tin-containing anti-fouling hull
This Convention is discussed further in the next coatings from the market before the IMO convention
section. enters into force.
Following the ban of TBT-based paint, new paint The European Union (EU) also passed legislation
formulations evolved which are discussed in great that bans the application of tin-containing coatings
detail in Chapter Three and also below. and prohibits vessels with tin-based anti-foulings
from entering EU ports.
New biocidal anti-fouling paints were rapidly
developed in the wake of the ban, for example the Whilst copper has been the go-to substance since the
coatings based on silyl-acrylates or copper, and foul- banning of TBT-based coatings, there are indications
release solutions, based on self-polishing silicone that its time is coming to a close. The reasoning
types. behind this potential ban is that copper can interfere
with photosynthesis and enzyme function in both
plants and animals in very low concentrations as
low as 4 g/l.
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The Maths: The Cost of Hull Roughness
According to the International Paint Hull Roughness Penalty Calculator model. This is a software
programme that predicts the inevitable increase in underwater hull roughness during the specified in
service period and combines this with the risk of fouling associated with different antifouling types.
The model compares fuel usage and cost to the installation cost of different TBT free antifouling and
foul release systems to derive potential net benefit.
The model is also able to compare the exhaust emissions (CO2, SOX) associated with the additional
fuel consumption for a particular vessel. The effect of coating roughness on ship performance can be
calculated using the Townsin1 formulae below:
Fractional Added Resistance ( R/R) for going from a smooth (AHR = k 1 ) to a rough (AHR = k 2 )
surface:
Where:
= Change in resistance, power, speed or propeller efficiency due to increased roughness C F =
Frictional Resistance coefficient increase
C T = Total Resistance coefficient = ([Total Resistance]/0.5 S V 2 ) or very approx. = 0.018 L -1/3 (if C
T value cannot be found otherwise, and where L is in metres)
= Seawater density
S = Surface wetted area of vessel
V = Speed of vessel
L = Length between perpendiculars of vessel Hull roughness gauge in use
Fractional Power increase ( P/P) at constant speed for going fr om a smooth (AHR=k 1 ) to rough
(AHR=k 2 ) surface: 1+ P/P = (1 + R/R) (1+ / ) -1
Where:
P = Shaft Power
= Open water propeller efficiency
Fractional Speed Loss ( V/V) at constant power, for going from a smooth (AHR=k 1 ) to rough
(AHR=k 2 ) surface: V/V = P/P (n + 1) -1
Where:
n = speed index = ~2.15 for Tankers and Bulk Carrier
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Market Barriers
The ability of some of the newer hull coatings to As a result, the ship will have to be cleaned more
live up to their claims of extremely long life is a often.
technical concern it admitted.
To conclude, whilst slow-steaming is the number
However, the technical issues that surround the one tactic of offsetting fuel costs, it has triggered
new coating products are not simply down to other unforeseen costs in other areas of the vessels
the mediocrity of the products; if anything, more operations.
research and precaution is going into the preparation
of the coatings than ever before.
However, it should be considered that particularly This has allowed the sector to cope with and further
following the foul release coatings issue, the hull leverage market changes.
coatings industry has learnt valuable lesson on the
research that needs to be carried out to ensure true The hull coatings sector excels in anticipating
market wide applicability and reliability. changes in regulation.
The newest generation of hull coatings have been They make tremendous investment and efforts in
tested under a far greater range of operating profiles early R&D efforts to meet these anticipated changes.
and conditions than ever before It is no quick process to develop and test coatings.
The different factors listed below are a checklist of the essentials that should be considered when evaluating
and selecting a hull coating system.
For the purpose of this table, anti-fouling paints are the focus.
However, it must be noted that, a system must also be put in place for corrosion protection.
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Factors Questions to ask Why? Check for
Maintenance How often does This can be a major cost. How many coats need to be
Repainting/ the coating system Surface preparation plus applied and how long does
Repairing require major repair or application of paint can vary this take in dry dock?
reapplication? from 5 or 6 days for some
coatings to as much as 17 or Are there any special
Does the coating have 18 days for others. precautions or requirements
any special application for correct application or to
requirements? obtain claimed savings?
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Hull Coating Chemistry Biocidal Anti-Fouling Coatings
Due to the penalties associated with and the severe Biocidal anti-fouling coatings function by creating
impact of the unwanted colonisation of a hull surface a microlayer of biocide rich environment at the
by marine organisms, primarily through negative paint surface, which prevents marine organisms
impact on hydrodynamics via increased drag, anti- from attaching. These coatings also contain active
fouling systems are in great use across the maritime ingredients, which prevent or slow marine growth.
industry.
There are currently only three main forms of
The principle mitigation tactic for reducing the biocides that can be used in anti-fouling systems:
impact of hull fouling is through preventing the
attachment of fouling, and therefore minimising Metallic
drag. Organometallic
Organic
Therefore, there have been great advancements in
the manipulation of the chemistry that sits behind Few biocides have had the necessary combination
anti-fouling products to prevent the attachment of of characteristics to make them safe, yet effective
fouling. antifouling agents. Mercury, arsenic and their
compounds, and also now the organotins, are
It must also be noted that although hull cleaning examples of effective antifouling agents that
measures such as under water scrubbing can be have been deemed unacceptable due to adverse
deployed to mitigate hull fouling. Thus far the use environmental or human health risks.
of under water scrubbing as the sole method for
complete hull fouling mitigation has not been proven TBT-based coatings were introduced in the mid-
to be viable for the vast majority of the worlds fleet. 1960s and were common in the latter half of the 20th
century as an effective anti-fouling solution.
There are four main tributyltin TBT-free fouling
control technologies currently available: However, their acute toxicity to non-target marine
organisms had severe environmental impacts and a
Biocidal complete ban on TBT paints entered into force on
- Self-Polishing Copolymer (SPC) 17th September 2008.
- Contact Leaching Systems
- Controlled Depletion Polymer (CDP) Copper-based biocides are the most commonly used,
and often in combination with organic biocides in
Foul Release order to achieve a wider spectrum of activity.
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Biocide Release: Self-Polishing
Copolymer (SPC)
In terms of chemistry, hybrid SPC technology are Also known as hard racing or long life paints,
formulated via a mixture of hydrolysis and hydration contact leaching paints have an insoluble matrix
mechanisms, combining SPC acrylic polymers with and continuous biocide release if generated by the
a certain amount of co-binder. high biocide concentration ensuring that biocide
particles contact each other through the paint film.
As surface biocide is released, microchannels
are created which permit release of biocide from
deeper in the coating. Biocide release rates decrease
exponentially with time and effective life is again
limited to periods rarely exceeding 18 months.
CDP coatings have rosin-derivatives as the main - CDP anti-foulings have thick leached layers,
polishing-inducing binder. which limit performance and negatively affect re-
coatability.
The soluble binder, natural rosin contains around - CDP anti-foulings are claimed to be not as
90% abietic acid and has been used for over 100 effective as SPC systems
years in antifouling paints. - CDP products are the lowest cost per sq. m value
for money anti-foulings, and are suitable for use in
Rosin, as a soluble binder has a low mechanical lower fouling areas or for vessels with short dry-
strength. As a general rule; the higher the solubility dock intervals
of the coating, the lower the mechanical strength, so
there is a necessary trade-off in order for the coating
to resist abrasion and damage. Leached layers of Biocide Release: Hybrid SPC
paint can build up, which slows biocide release
down and inhibits smoothing. Hybrid SPC coatings are a combination of CDP and
SPC technology. Hybrid SPC technology works by
Rosin has some disadvantages: a mixture of hydrolysis and hydration mechanisms,
combining SPC acrylic polymers with a certain
- it is a brittle material, and can cause cracking and amount of Rosin.
detachment;
- it reacts with oxygen and has to be immersed In terms of performance and price, they are
relatively quickly; mid-way between the two. Copper pyrithione is
- it does not prevent water going into the depth of the commonly used as a co-biocide.
antifouling paint film.
Rosin can be used at low level to form hard Hybrid SPC Features:
Insoluble Matrix anti-foulings, or high level to
form soft Soluble Matrix anti-foulings. - High volume solids content
- Polishing control
It is the modern Soluble Matrix anti-foulings are - Surface tolerant
now commonly referred to as CDP anti-foulings. - Good film properties
- Control of biocide release
CDP coating exhibit slow dissolution of the paint - Good anti-fouling performance
film in sea-water, this dissolution gradually slows
down over time, due to the formation of insoluble
materials at the surface.
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Foul Release Coatings Foul Release: Silicone
Foul release coatings (FRCs) function by preventing Silicone coatings are the oldest type of foul release
or reducing the adhesion (non-stick) of fouling coatings and are still the foundation over which all
organisms to vessel hulls. The flora and fauna modern fouling release coatings have been built on.
species that colonise on the hull, which contribute to
marine fouling, typically attach to hull surfaces by Silicone coatings are still the most common type of
exuding special glues, with the strength of the glue foul release coatings.
dependent on the glues ability to spread over the
surface and bind to it. Traditional silicone-based coatings foul relatively
fast, so they require that the vessel stays sailing
In terms of chemistry, foul release coatings typically most of the time and preferably at high speeds (i.e.
have low surface energy, which is a measure of the above 15 knots).
way they bind with other substances.
Silicone coatings have several other properties that
This low surface energy degrades an organisms distinguish them from other anti-fouling coatings.
ability to generate a strong interfacial bond with They are generally smoother and have a higher
the surface via the aforementioned glues. The volume of solids, which reduces their solvent
smoothness Non Stick properties of the coating emissions when applied.
at the molecular level allows for organisms to be
dislodged once the vessel is moving beyond a critical Silicone-based technology relies on the unique
velocity. surface chemistry of siloxanes to which fouling
cannot easily adhere. These formulations are
As a general rule, substances with a low surface typically comprised of a silanol (SiOH) functional
energy are harder to wet (i.e. harder for a liquid to polydimethylsiloxane, silica, catalysts and an
spread across), and so harder for adhesives to stick alkoxy functional silane or silicate crosslinker.
to.
Polymers containing fluorine can also be used to Hydrogel-based fouling release coatings move
create a low energy surface with non-stick properties the concept of fouling release to the opposite
designed to prevent adhesion of marine fouling. extreme, hydrophilic surfaces. Inspired by
advanced biomedical research, these coatings
A Fluoropolymer is a polymer, with multiple strong contain a hydrophilic modified silicone polymer
carbon fluorine bonds, with the consumer product that migrates to the surface upon immersion and
Teflon being the most commonly recognised creates a hydrogel layer at the outermost surface of
example (but which unfortunately has poor fouling the coating. Water trapped in this layer presents the
prevention properties). biofouling organisms with a surface unlike other
surfaces in the marine environment. Abundant
Fluoropolymer based fouling release stands for research show that this chemistry provides
silicone coatings, which are modified by small upgraded fouling protection, and these coatings
amounts of fluorinated oils. claim to release fouling down to 8 knots of speed
and down to 50% of activity.
Fluoropolymer chemistry represents the very latest
advances in foul release technology, significantly
improving upon the performance of the best silicone Foul Release Coatings Features:
based systems as they provide an ultra-smooth
surface. Foul Release coatings are durable fouling control
systems for Scheduled Ships
Fluoropolymer systems provide an amphiphilic Foul Release coatings give equivalent
surface. It has been established that marine performance to SPC systems without the use of
fouling organisms secrete an adhesive, either of a biocides.
hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature depending on the Foul Release coatings generally have an average
fouling species. By having a balanced amphiphilic hull roughness (AHR) under 100 microns, which
surface fluoropolymers can minimise the chemical is smoother than most biocidal anti-foulings
and electrostatic adhesion between the surface and Foul Release coatings are based on silicone
a wide range of fouling organisms. The amphiphilic chemistry, and are thus very
surface physically deters the settlement of organisms Durable, both above and below water
simply by nature of the surface. They retain their gloss and do not change colour,
even after prolonged immersion periods, in
Therefore, the basic concept behind this is to provide contrast to biocidal anti-foulings
an amphiphilic surface with both hydrophobic
(water-hating) and hydrophilic (water loving) Costs at Maintenance & Repair can be
areas
lower with FRCs because:
Fluoropolymer oils also are also leached into the
Only touch up is required at dry docking(s) up to
water to increase the effectiveness of these fouling
60 months.
release coating systems.
After 60 months only a single full re-coat (100
microns) of finish is required.
Washing is easy & quick.
There is reduced waste during paint application
(fewer cans).
Draft marks do not need to be re-painted.
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Therefore: Alternative Coatings
Potentially less time in dry dock. A number of alternative and innovative approaches
Intervals between dry dock can be flexible, up to to hull fouling prevention have come onto the
60 months. market or are currently in development. A selection
No expensive treatment of the wash water or of alternative coating solutions and innovative
abrasive is needed. approaches to combatting hull fouling are profiled
below.
Advantages of Foul Release Systems:
Microfibre foils consist of a film of tiny fibres
No release of biocide in to the environment. that are applied to vessel hulls.
Unlikely to be affected by future environmental
legislation. These can prevent microorganisms from settling
Reduced paint volume (and solvent emitted) on via the density of the foil and the swaying motion
first application. of individual fibres. For single cell organisms that
Good anti-fouling performance on a range of vessel form chains, such as micro-algae, the swaying
types. motion damages the cell structure, which causes the
Good resistance to mechanical damage. threads of organisms to eventually be cut off rather
Reduced hull roughness giving improvements in than staying attached. This can also prevent algae
vessel performance and reducing emissions. spores from sticking and from finding their way to
Less time in dock, paint required and application the hull surface.
costs at future dockings.
Keeps fouling off the propellers.
Stimulated Release coatings use periodic
stimulus to change the shape of the hull surface and
Disadvantages of Foul Release Coatings:
knock any attached organisms off. This technology
is currently in development by Duke University,
Higher initial cost of paint and application.
with the stimulus in question being an electric
Quality of application is very important Masking
current, although the technology does not yet have a
and dedicated equipment required.
commercial application.
As product is biocide-free, resistance to slime for
silicone foul release systems are lower than some
biocidal anti-foulings. Water Encapsulation is a new technology
that Nippon Paint claims to employ. This enhances
the self-polishing properties of an SDP coating by
trapping water in bumps in the hull coating, creating
Hard Coatings a smoother surface than the paint alone.
Hard coatings are a third type of marine coating However, the mechanism behind this effect is not
which, like fouling release coatings, are not reactive clear; whether it is a function of the polymer being
with seawater and do not contain biocides. They used or another technology has not been specified.
have the advantage of not gradually dissolving and
also provide very good mechanical resistance and
anticorrosive properties.
In August 2013, Pettit announced the launch of For example, one strategy is inspired by the low-
Hydrocoat Eco, a self-polishing ablative coating drag performance of sharkskin surfaces made
with naturally-derived biocide. to mimic their grooved scales (placoid scales,
which resemble tiny spines that protrude from
Hydrocoat Eco consists of self-polishing, water- the surface). These scales are almost parallel
based, ablative technology that has as its active to the longitudinal body axis of the shark and
ingredient the organic biocide Econea. The company their presence has been shown to reduce drag by
claims that tests show that antifoulants made with 510%.
6% Econea are as effective as those made with 50%
copper. Surface Technology or
Nanotechnology is defined as the
Natural product anti-foulants features: manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular
scale. In essence, nanotechnology can be
Positive described as the science of molecular engineering,
Perceived as an environmentally acceptable and is currently changing the way many industries
solution. think of surface coatings.
Data exists that demonstrates the efficacy of some
natural products. Nanomaterials are finding applications in
marine antifouling. The inherently small size of
Negative nanoparticles means they remain in the lattice of
Natural product anti-foulants are natural biocides, the antifoul coating. Although they do not readily
and in many cases very little data exists with leach out, they slowly release ions to provide long-
regard to their toxicity and/or degradation in the term antifouling performance.
environment.
In many cases the materials are complex organic
molecules that are very costly to synthesise.
An example of nanotechnology innovation
within for hull coatings application is
described in the academic paper: Natalio
et al, 2012 Inspired by nature: Paints and
coatings containing bactericidal agent
nanoparticles combat marine fouling
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A Snapshot of the Market: Hull Coating Manufacturer Profiles
The foremost feature of AMC products is their Savings: Speed trials have proven that it is possible
use of carbon nano-tubes in epoxy-based coatings. to increase speed up 10% compared to alternative
Preliminary tests showed that the coating made a anti-foulings.
difference of several knots in terms of the speed,
compared to traditional anti-fouling paints. Over Manufacturer Application Guidance: It is applied
the next three years, AMC continued to improve with roller, brush or spray and without added
the formula. Subsequent tests on different types of solvents (VOC).
boats with drafts of up to 40 metres demonstrated
an increase in speed of 6 to 10%, or a corresponding Recent Vessels/Clients: AMC states that their AFS
reduction in fuel consumption. The use of carbon Hybrid coating has been applied on the bulb of a
nano-tubes is also said to provide a stable, flexible cruise vessel owned by a leading cruise operator
coating surface without leading to compromises on since October 2011. Further details of the trial were
other key mechanical properties such as adhesion unavailable.
and resistance to wear.
The first ship to test the AMC anti-fouling range
AMC also has a heavy involvement in cooperative was the LNG carrier Berge Arzew owned by BW
research and development initiatives around the Gas. In mid-2009, large areas of the subsea and
use of nano-technology. They hold partnerships topside of the vessel were covered with the paint,
with a wide range of institutes including SINTEF, with trial results said to be positive. Several types
the Max Planck Institute, EADS, Daimler, the YKI of coatings have also been applied to passenger
Institute for Surface Chemistry, SP, VTT, SAAB, and ferries for Torghatten Nord, with results stated as
Vattenfall. promising although no specifics listed.
Premium Anti-Fouling Products: After six years of service which covered both
sub-zero and tropical waters, the areas coated with
EnviroMarine showed no signs of delamination
EnviroMarine
or reduction in film thickness, compared with the
middle third which has shed 85% of its coating. The
EnviroMarine is a hard, inert coating. It is the only owner subsequently elected to have the middle third
hard coating on the market that is made up of 100% coated with EnviroMarine.
solids. The finished coating has a surface co-efficient
of friction less than that of glass, and is self- In July 2009 EnviroMarine was also applied to
cleaning - very low speeds or water movement being the 6800m2 RoRo the MV Slingeborg, owned by
sufficient to clear the surface of any growth. Cobelfret. Which Brunel states is now realising
significant fuel savings. However, the levels of
According to Brunel, the impervious surface of these savings have not been made publically
this coating does not support marine growth, and available.
performance is maintained without the need to shed
sacrificial layers.
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Chugoku Marine Paints
Chugoku Marine Paints is a global supplier of Extra Stated Benefits: Long paint life, reduction
high quality paints headquartered and based in in paint consumption leading to a reduction in
Japan, with product ranges tailored for the marine, labour costs. A 30% reduction in the amount of
industrial and container sectors. paint used and 40% reduction in VOCs compared to
conventional paints.
The company has been manufacturing marine paints
since 1917 and has a service network that extends Technical Maturity: Over 100 vessels to date.
to 40 countries across Asia, America, the Middle
East and Europe. Technical research laboratories In-service Interval: Up to 60 months.
are located in Otake City and Yasu City in Japan,
Shanghai in China as well as in Singapore. Recent Case Studies: Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL)
adopted the low-friction SEAFLO NEO in 2011 for
Chugoku Marine Paints offer the product series two newbuild car carriers. According to analysis
SEAFLO NEO. by MOL, the paint offers improvements in fuel
efficiency compared to conventional paints on
SEAFLO NEO is a high performance TBT-free newbuilds.
hydrolysis anti-fouling coating, utilising a unique
polymer to deliver an ultra smooth surface and Information of Interest: Even lower friction
self-polishing performance. SEAFLO NEO is the can be obtained if SEAFLO NEO is used in
lowest VOC (330g/L) antifouling in the hydrolysis combination with Universal Epoxy Primer
category. BANNOH 1500 which obtains high solid (73%)
content and self-levelling technology.
Premium Anti-Fouling Products:
SEAFLO NEO
Oceanic+ 73950 for vessels operating at medium Variations on this product include:
to high speed and high activity with short idle
periods Olympic+ 72950 for vessels operating at medium
Oceanic+ 73900 - for vessels operating coastal to high speed and high activity with short idle
trade at low to medium speed and (down to) low to periods
medium activity with short idle periods Olympic+ 72900 - for vessels operating at low to
Oceanic+ 7395B for flat bottom of deep sea medium speed and (down to) low to medium activity
going vessels operating at medium to high speed and with short to medium idle periods
high activity with short idle periods Olympic+ 7295B for flat bottom of deep sea
vessels operating at medium to high speed and high
Type of Coating: Biocidal. activity with short idle periods
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Hempasil X3
The Hempasil X3 coating, a third-generation foul- In July 2011, Hempel signed a multi-million USD
release paint based on hydrogel is free of any contract with United Arab Shipping Company
biocides. The smooth texture of the paint, enhanced (UASC) for use of its coatings on nine newbuild
by the thin hydro-gel layer, gives it a non-adhesive A13 containerships. In addition to the Hempasil X3
quality, and the silicone polymers facilitate self- fouling release coating, the contract also included
cleaning. use of one-coat Nexus X-Seal tie coat solution,
the Sea Trend fuel consumption data monitoring
Hempel guarantees fuel savings of up to 8% in software and the Hempasil Helix propeller coating.
the first year of using this coating and up to 6% in
the second year when Hempasil X3 is combined In 2011, Hempel also signed a contract with Vale
with most of the on-board performance monitoring to supply 150,000 litres of Hempasil X3 for the
systems available on the market. However, the conversion of five VLCCs.
percentage guarantee varies with ship type.
RoPax: 4.8%
Container: 6.5%
Aframax Tanker: 7.2%
Bulk Carrier: 5.9%
VLCC: 8.6%
Gas Tanker: 5.1%
Supply Vessel: 3.5%
Hempel scientists spent five years developing and testing the ActiGuard technology. We have used
a silicone-based hydro-gel product, which has then been merged with biocides known from anti-
foulings.
Which vessel types have been tested under sea trial conditions?
The sea trials have been very promising, and HEMPAGUARD has been used on a wide range of
vessels, including:
Bulk carrier;
Chemical tanker;
Chemical/Products tanker;
Container ship;
Crude oil tanker;
Cruise ship;
Fishing vessel;
General cargo;
Ro-Ro/passenger ship;
Ro-Ro/vehicles carrier;
Supply vessel;
VLCC;
VLOC.
Based on the aforementioned sea trials, what is the projected return on investment (ROI) of
ActiGuard?
We anticipate a ROI of less than 6 months, which we are happy about. This can be partly attributed
to the cost of docking where the paint is applied. It also depends on whether or not the owner/operator
chooses to apply it on top of the anti-fouling paint already on the hull of the ship, or if the operator
chooses a full blast for their vessel and then uses the complete paint system.
A key factor for choosing a hull coating is how a coating is able to perform during periods of
idleness, super slow steaming, and in tropical waters. How has HEMPAGUARD performed under
the conditions mentioned?
We guarantee idling periods of up to 120 days.
We are testing our products across the world, both on vessels and rafts. We have rafts in cold waters,
medium waters and warm waters in Singapore. In all test areas we have seen outstanding results
during periods of idleness.
Our tests have shown that HEMPAGUARD retains its effectiveness when switching between slow
and fast steaming anywhere in the world as well as during extended idle periods. This is particularly
interesting for bulk carriers that can be redirected at short notice as well as larger container vessels
and tankers that may wish to increase speed to meet schedules or slow steam to achieve extra fuel
savings.
Could you explain the unique selling points of ActiGuard in more detail?
The unique selling points are fuel savings and that we are able to offer in the same product the ability
to provide fuel savings during operation but also excellent levels of bio-fouling protection during
extended periods of idleness.
We see our product as an advantage for ship owners in the market today, especially owners of bulk
carriers and tankers, who due to fluctuations in trade volume cannot be certain of what their vessel
will be doing even in just a few months time.
As global trade continues to contract and over-tonnage persists, the future operational pattern of a
vessel is more uncertain than ever. With this product, we can provide fuel savings whilst the vessel is
sailing, and then when the vessel is not sailing, the operator can enjoy anti-fouling protection for a
long time. It is a single product with dual benefits.
A key issue with coatings that the industry has struggled with historically is that coatings have been
designed for a specific operational profile: a vessel with a specific activity level at a specific speed and
at a certain water temperature.
Other products are designed for static conditions and low speed, which are then sloughed off the
hull if the vessel speeds up. The choice of hull coating has until now also been a choice of operational
profile. In contrast, Hempel has now given the industry the flexibility to respond to market conditions
in real time.
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Currently there is no industry standard for measuring hull coatings performance. What is your
view on the development of a global hull coatings standard?
We welcome the introduction of a global standard. We would prefer for there to be only one standard,
as if there are several then each standard on its own would not be worth e as much worth when
compared to the one standard scenario. We believe that the development of a global standard will
allow for easy differentiation between well and worse performing products.
What is the process of widespread commercialization for HEMPAGUARD and the time frame?
The product will be globally launched at Fathoms Ship Efficiency: The Event, which will be taking
place at London International Shipping Week in September 2013. After that, other events in other
markets will take place.
How will Hempel leverage HEMPAGUARD moving forward? Will it represent a separate line of
hull coating solutions or become part of an existing product range?
This will remain a separate line of hull coating solutions. We are currently looking at two products:
firstly one with a life span of 36 months, and another with a life span of 60 months with scope to
extend that up to 90 months.
The 3000 series are water-based silicone/epoxy Recent Vessels/Clients: New York Naval Militia,
copolymer coatings containing proprietary Florida Fish and Wildlife, Potomac Riverboat
technology. These coatings are said to provide the Company, Scotia Fire and Rescue.
abrasive protection of epoxy while also providing
the surface release properties of dimethyl silicone,
and are designed for improved fuel efficiency.
Cost: US$55/litre.
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Hydrex
Hydrex is the world leader in underwater repairs, Due to Ecospeeds environmental safety, in-water
replacement and maintenance, pioneering new cleaning of ships coated with Ecospeed is approved
methods and technology for in-water techniques to in ports where in-water cleaning is normally
enable ships to continue operations without the need banned.
to drydock, and by insisting on the highest standards
of quality for underwater repair and maintenance. Ecospeed does not offer conventional biocidal
anti-fouling properties and Hydrex suggests that
The company was founded in Antwerp in 1974 by in-water cleaning of the hull should be conducted
Boud Van Rompay who continues as CEO. They regularly, the frequency to be determined by the
are headquartered in Antwerp with regional offices ships operating pattern and local water conditions.
in the U.S.A and Spain. From these offices Hydrex Because of the products non-toxic and non-metallic
operates fast emergency-response diving teams properties, this type of cleaning can occur even in
which travel worldwide on call. ports with the strictest environmental regulations,
such as Rotterdam and Seattle.
Hydrex repair specialities include stern tube seal
repairs, bow thruster replacement, underwater hull Ecospeed has proven to be a superior protection
repairs, propeller cropping and straightening and against ice and has had great success with
rudder repairs. Many operations are now conducted icebreakers and ice-trading ships. Lloyds Register
using Hydrex-pioneered flexible or rigid mobdocks, has certified Ecospeed for ice going ships, and
which dramatically shorten the time needed for permits a reduction of thickness of the steel
repair. plating in way of the ice belt of up to 1 mm where
Ecospeed is used as the coating. Ecospeed is also
Premium Anti-Fouling Products: particularly suitable for offshore vessels or those
that are often stationary and not drydocked very
often since the coating can be cleaned underwater
ECOSPEED
as aggressively as needed to bring it back to its
original pristine condition without fear of damaging
Hydrex manufactures and supplies Ecospeed, the coating or harming the environment. It is also
the original hard, non-toxic coating system for used by major ferry lines, cargo vessels, cruise
underwater hulls. Ecospeed was developed starting operators, navies and others.
in 1994 and has been adopted by shipping lines in all
major sectors of operation since 2002. As part of an EU-LIFE demonstration project in
2008, stringent tests proved that the Ecospeed
The coating is classified as a Surface Treated coating is 100% non-toxic with no negative effect
Composite (STC), which consists of relatively large on water quality or the marine environment at any
glass flakes in a resin base. Once conditioned by an point of its use or application. The product was
in-water process involving special tools, the coating awarded the 2012 National Energy Globe Award for
provides a very smooth, extremely hard protection sustainability.
for the life of the hull, guaranteed for at least 10
years, requiring only minor touch-ups during routine
dry-docking. Unlike conventional anti-fouling and
foul-release coatings which markedly deteriorate as a
ship ages, Ecospeed becomes smoother and achieves
maximum hull efficiency and fuel savings through
routine in-water cleaning.
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International Paint
International Paint Ltd. is part of AkzoNobel. Type of Coating: Foul Release
AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings
company and a major producer of specialty Known Ship Types: All. Suitable for slow steaming.
chemicals.
Technical Maturity: Released in February 2013.
The International Paint group is headquartered Trial vessels coated since August 2011.
in Singapore and controls 13 specialist marine
laboratories and operates in 60 countries worldwide. Savings Claim: Intersleek 1100SR offers
proven fuel and emissions savings of up to 10%
The company claim to be technology leaders in in comparison to controlled depletion polymer
antifouling coatings, abrasion resistant coatings, antifoulings.
ballast tank coatings and foul release coatings,
with over 17 years experience in the latter. They Verification: We are extremely happy with the
introduced the first self-polishing copolymer (SPC) performance of the new Intersleek which has to
antifouling product in 1974. given us over a year virtually slime-free performance
on two of our Caribbean vessels, stated Carnival
Premium Anti-Fouling Products: Cruise lines.
Intersleek 1100SR
Intersleek 900
Intersleek 1100SR is the first biocide free fouling
control coating to feature unique patented Slime Until the launch of Intersleek 1100SR, Intersleek 900
Release technology to combat micro fouling. was the premium product in the range. Intersleek
900 is a patented fluoropolymer foul release coating,
This product contains a new patented fluoropolymer which presents the organisms with an amphiphilic
which is an enhancement of the slime resistant surface, combining hydrophilic and hydrophobic
polymer used in earlier generations of Intersleek, to properties in order to minimise the chemical and
influence and resist the adhesion and settlement of electrostatic adhesion between the surface and the
organisms that make up slime. fouling organism.
The development of the new polymer included Type of Coating: Foul Release.
a three-year fundamental research programme
involving a multi-disciplinary team of marine Known Ship Types: All vessels sailing faster than
biologists, hydrodynamicists and polymer scientists. 10 knots, including scheduled ships, tankers, bulkers,
International Paint say that the team was supported general cargo ships and feeder containers.
by world renowned independent academic institutes,
four years of laboratory testing and in service, full Savings Claim: Intersleek 900 offers proven fuel
vessel performance data, from some of the worlds and emissions savings of up to 10% in comparison to
leading ship owners and operators. controlled depletion polymer antifoulings.
The coating is said to have improved static resistance Verification: In 2008, Cunard converted their
even for ships travelling in warm waters. Slime flagship liner the Queen Mary 2 from a silyl-based
that does build up during static periods is said to be TBT-free self-polishing copolymer antifouling to
released by the movement of the ship through water. the fluoropolymer foul release coating Intersleek
900, improving vessel efficiency by over 10% or the
equivalent of US$30,000 a day.
Intersleek 700 is a foul release coating based on Intercept 8000LPP is a biocidal antifouling product
silicone technology. featuring International Paint/AkzoNobels patented
LUBYON polymer technology.
Type of Coating: Foul Release.
The company claims that LUBYON delivers
Known Ship Types: High activity, scheduled ships predictable long-term hull coating performance.
such as Container vessels, Reefers, LNG/LPG The coating has been extensively monitored with
Carriers, Cruise Liners, RoRos and Vehicle Carriers in-service performance validated on over 4 million
which travel at 15-30 knots. DWT thus far.
Savings Claim: Intersleek 700 offers proven fuel Intercept 8000LPP is said to replicate the linear
and emissions savings of up to 7% in comparison to polishing behaviour of previous tributlytin based
controlled depletion polymer antifoulings. antifoulings, unlike typical silyl and metal acrylate
biocidal antifouling systems. Silyl acrylate based
Verification: VELA International Marine, converted products typically polish slowly initially, with the
the vertical sides of VLCC Alpha Star to Intersleek rate of polishing steadily increasing thereafter,
700 in May 2005. Results were presented at Offshore whereas typical metal acrylate systems polish fast
Arabia Conference in 2006 and vessel speed initially before reaching a steady state.
improved by over 3% (equivalent to an efficiency
improvement of over 8%). The LUBYON polymer technology is also said to
give the coating a superhydrophilic surface creating
Technical Maturity: Released in 1999. a lubricating effect at the coating surface that also
swells on contact with water helping to smooth out
imperfections and potentially further reducing drag.
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Intercept 8000LPP cont.. Intersmooth 7465Si SPC
Verification: The coating has been monitored with Intersmooth 7465Si SPC is a low friction, SPC
in service performance validated on multiple vessel antifouling, based on patented silyl acrylate polymer
types including containers, tankers, bulk carriers and technology.
LNGs representing over 4 million DWT.
Intersmooth 7465Si SPC features 55% volume
In-Service Period: Up to 90 months. solids. Compared to lower volume solids products,
this results in shipyard benefits of faster application,
Technical Maturity: Launched in February 2013. reduced wastage and pail consumption and lower
solvent emissions to the atmosphere. Reduced
overspray leads to lower contamination levels in
Intersmooth 7460HS SPC and dock and reduced applicator exposure. Particularly
Intersmooth 7465HS SPC suitable for use where solvent emissions need to be
reduced, this product has solvent emission levels
Intersmooth 7460HS SPC and Intersmooth 7465HS of less than 400g/l VOC - some of the lowest silyl
SPC are low friction, true, pure hydrolysing self- acrylate solvent emission levels in the industry.
polishing copolymer antifoulings for deep-sea
vessels featuring high volume solids and low VOCs. Intersmooth 7465Si SPC offers the same fouling
control, up to 4% fuel savings and excellent patina
Patented copper acrylate technology delivers resistance as its copper acrylate SPC counterpart,
controlled chemical dissolution of the paint film, Intersmooth 7460/7465HS SPC.
which ensures continued smoothing over long
drydocking intervals. Type of Coating: Biocidal
Predictable polishing enables specifications to be Known Ship Types: Designed for deep sea vessels
tailored to specific ship types and at newbuilding and maintenance and repair.
operational profiles, while thin leached layers allow
simple cleaning and recoating at drydockings. Manufacturer Surface Preparation Guidance: All
surfaces to be coated should be clean, dry and free
Intersmooth 7460HS SPC and Intersmooth 7465HS from contamination.
SPC provide fouling control for up to 60 months and
share in the proven track record of Intersmooth SPC Savings Claim: Intersmooth 7465Si SPC offers fuel
on over 34,000 vessels worldwide. and emissions savings of up to 4% in comparison to
controlled depletion polymer antifoulings.
Type of Coating: Biocidal.
In-Service Period: Up to 90 months.
Known Ship Types: Designed for deep sea vessels
at newbuilding and maintenance and repair. Technical Maturity: Launched in 2012.
Marine coatings is a major part of the business, ROI: Typically 6 to 18 months depending on ship
with 32% of sales in 2012 coming from this sector type and trade. Jotun also states that, under its High
and a track record in the industry stretching back to Performance Guarantee, theadditional investment
1926. More than 30,000 ships are painted with their in SeaQuantumX200 will be paid back if the
wide range of marine products. It is well known as guaranteed level of performance is not delivered.
a market leader within high technology antifouling
systems. Fitting: Approximately one week in dry-dock.
As a part of its Hull Performance Solutions Jotun Technical Maturity: Since 2000; Based on the
employs, at any time, the best coating technologies next generation Silyl Methacrylate technology,
available in its portfolio. The current antifouling of SeaQuantum X200 is the culmination of more than
choice is SeaQuantum X200. SeaQuantum X200 is 10 years of experience, 15 000 trial formulations
Jotuns first anti-fouling purpose designed coating and close to 8,000 full applications with the original
to maximise initial performance (low friction SeaQuantum technology.
properties) as well lifetime performance (anti-
fouling properties) with no limitations in terms of Technology Progress Since 2011: The Jotun Hull
formulation cost. Performance Measurement method is currently
in version 2, and has now been proposed as the
Known Ship Types: All. High Performance baseline for work on an ISO standard. Jotun High
Guarantees are available for most, but not all, trades. Performance Guarantee is also currently in version
2, with a version 3 being planned for release later in
Cost: Around US$8.5 per m2 and year depending on 2013.
ship type and year.
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SeaQuantum
Savings Claim: Around 6% efficiency gain on Technical Maturity: Since 2008 with over 1 400
average over a 60 month dry-docking interval as vessels coated.
compared to a market average solution. This equates
to a ~5% fuel cost and GHG emission saving if Information of Interest: Increasing film thickness
speed is to be maintained over the interval. The will lead to increased drying time. When three
saving is based on comparing expected performance or more anti-fouling coats are applied in a rapid
with market average performance as estimated in succession, Jotun recommend a doubling of time to
MEPC63-4-8. launch
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SeaLion Repulse
SeaLion Repulse is a biocide free anti-fouling based In order to meet different vessel operational
on Nanorepellent Technology. It has a low surface requirements and budgets, the SeaForce brand range
energy which is both hydrophobic and hydrophilic contains three products SeaForce 30, 60 and 90
that creates a bivalent surface to confuse the settling allowing the most appropriate anti-fouling solution
of organisms. This smooth and hostile surface to be selected for specific vessels.
secures good fouling control throughout the service
period. Type of Coating: Biocidal.
Fitting: Approximately one week in dry-dock. Class Society Approval: American Bureau of
Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (BV), Det Norske
Class Society Approval: Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Veritas (DNV), Germanischer Lloyd (GL), Korean
Lloyds Register (LR), Germanischer Lloyd (GL), register of Shipping (KRS), Lloyds Register (LR),
Registro Italiano navale (RINA), Russian Maritime
Verification: Saving potential is based on register of Shipping (RMSR).
estimations of product performance and can be
verified by Jotun Hull Performance Measurement Compliance: IMO Anti-fouling System Convention
Methodology. (AFS/CONF/26).
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Micanti
Micanti was founded in 2006 and is headquartered Class Society Approval: ABS, Lloyds Register,
in the Netherlands. Micanti developed a non-toxic Bureau Veritas.
fouling defence technology and patented it in
2006. The technology behind the coating is based Manufacturer Recommended Surface
on the theory of; by applying specific short fibres, Preparation: For newbuilds, Thorn-D is applied
organisms are unable to settle. directly on the anti-corrosive paint. For existing
vessels, the hull needs to be hydro washed to
After several years of intensive testing on both remove all marine growth and a primer will need
static and moving objects, Micanti started to market to be applied to seal the old anti-fouling layer
the Thorn-D anti-fouling product into the shipping underneath.
industry by 2011.
Recent Clients/ Case Studies: In February 2013,
The Commercialisation of Thorn-D began with Micanti applied Thorn-D anti-fouling to the Lady
the aquaculture industry in Turkey, with Micanti Rasha crew vessel owned by Gulf Glory Marine
expanding into this industry internationally before Services.
carrying out the first tests for commercial ships in
2009. After several years of research with institutes Micanti reported in May 2013 that the owner of
such as MARIN, TNO, and Delft Technical BMS Towing BV was very pleased with the result
University, Micanti now provides Thorn-D to a of nine months of Thorn-D application on the
range of commercial vessels in Europe, the Middle Willem-B tugboat.
East and the US.
In May 2013, the workboat operator Acta Marine
Premium Anti-Fouling Products: chose to use Thorn-D anti-fouling on the Sara
Maatje X.
Thorn-D Starting in May 2013, the Port of Amsterdam is
conducting a year-long trial of Thorn-D on a patrol
Thorn-D is a special type of non-toxic coating which
boat which will be compared with a sister vessel
uses microfibres to create a physical barrier against
that has a conventional coating.
marine growth. A surface of nylon microfibres on
a polyester film prevents micro-organisms like
mussels and barnacles from attaching directly to a
vessels hull surface.
Nippon Marine also has an explicit focus on American Eagle Tankers also applied LF-Sea to
environmental issues, having developed a tin- four of its vessels in 2008. The first vessel to be
free hydrolytic anti-fouling paint in 1990, and has coated was the Aframax tanker Bunga Kenanga.
been ISO 4001 certified since 2003. Their stated Fuel savings from this trial are unclear.
manufacturing goal is to develop a revolutionary
environmentally friendly technology based on a EcoloFlex SPC
completely new concept, rather than improvements
to existing technology and products. ECOLOFLEX SPC was the first TBT-Free
hydrolysing self-polishing anti-fouling in the
Premium Anti-Fouling Products: world from Nippon Paint. The coating contains a
special acrylate copolymer developed with patented
LF-Sea technology as the basic resin, and cuprous oxide as
the main biocide.
LF-Sea is a low-friction antifoul claimed to be
more cost-effective than silicone type coatings. The Type of Coating: Biocidal.
coating contains a hydrogel which traps sea water
in tiny irregularities in a ships hull, so creating a Known Ship Types: All.
smoother surface and reducing resistance.
Technical Maturity: As of December 2005, the
Type of Coating: Biocidal. product has been applied to far over 10,000 ships.
In 2003, its perfect anti-fouling performance was
Known Ship Types: All. proved on 4 large containers after the operation for
59 to 61 months.
Fuel Savings Claim: 4%
In-Service Period: Up to 60 months.
ROI: Cost simulator available on website.
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ECOLOFLEX HyB
Type of Coating: Fouling Release. Princess Cruises chose to apply the SIGMAGLIDE
foul release system on the Star Princess in a
Known Ship Types: Many different vessel types project that first started in April 2004. After
such as bulk carriers, cruise liners, container vessels, removal of the conventional anti-fouling system
oil and gas tankers, Ro-Ro vessels, tugs. the SIGMAGLIDE system was applied, showing
excellent hull conditions when inspected at regular
dry-dockings in both 2008 and 2011. During the
latter dry-docking, the owner also decided to apply
a full refresher coat of third generation pure silicone
SIGMAGLIDE 990 coating on the vertical sides of
the vessel.
FATHOM FOCUS
www.fathomshipping.com SIGMAGLIDE Range Contd overleaf.....
SIGMAGLIDE 990 was applied to the hull of the SIGMA SYLADVANCE 700
Neptune Okeanis in Sept 2010. Neptune Lines
recorded an 8% reduction in the main engine fuel Pure silyl acrylate binder with high fuel savings
consumption per nautical mile at the same average potential. For vessels with medium- or high-
speed of the vessel. operational rate at medium speed. High-volume
solids 56%.
Sherwin-Williams is a global provider of protective The Sher-Release system is a foul release system
and marine coatings, headquartered in the USA and that consists of the SeaGuard Surface Coat and
with a presence in 120 countries worldwide. SeaGuard Tie Coat in a three-layer tie coat formula.
It is silicone-based and biocide free, with a key
The company offers a line of high performance feature of the product said to provide its superior
coatings for the maritime industry with a particular durability compared to similar coatings.
focus on protection against corrosion.
The biofouling protection of this system is said to be
A unique feature that the company also offers is the up to 50/% better than comparable fluoropolymer/
IMAGE (Information Management and Graphics silicone-based systems, causing marine organisms
Engine) system as a tool to help maritime customers to be released from surfaces even at slow speeds and
select optimal coatings for their needs. light water pressure.
IMAGE provides access to an archive of thousands Features of the SeaGuard Surface Coat are listed
of data points and photographs to visually illustrate below.
the performance history of many protective coating
systems. Type of Coating: Foul Release.
This application can be used to produce Known Ship Types: Vessels trading at speeds
photographs, data plots and generate customised down to10 knots e.g. container ships, cruise vessels,
image reports of coating performance. RoRos, tankers
FATHOM FOCUS
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a n ce
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By improving hull and propeller performance, However, these small percentages saved or spent on
the world fleet can reduce fuel costs by as each voyage add up to significant dollars saved or
much as US$30 billion per year and achieve an spent on the annual operating cost of a vessel.
estimated 0.3% reduction in manmade GHG
emissions. The main barrier to realising this However alluring the savings offered may be,
potential has been a lack of an accurate and what actually matters to shipowners is that the hull
reliable method for measuring hull and propeller coating or hull-related fuel saving solution that is
performance over time. chosen delivers the savings promised and a reliable
ROI.
Numerous anti-fouling hull coating solutions have The performance of hull coatings can be quantified
entered the market over the last decade, all that by their impact on a ships speed and so its overall
offer eye-catching fuel savings, attractive ROIs and energy efficiency. However, there is more than one
bountiful operating cost reductions. way to measure performance, more than one set of
factors involved, and more than one time to capture
If a shipowner or operator is looking to be able to the measurements.
quantify the savings (or not) of any technology or
measure, accurate measurement and monitoring of It is crucial that a shipowner and operator therefore
fuel consumption is vital. truly understands what is being measured and how it
is being measured and on what basis any claims are
The energy efficiency of a vessel can effectively made. Savings could be perhaps a misleading term
be thought of as being directly linked to the fuel when it comes to hull coating savings claims.
oil consumption. The fuel oil consumption can
fluctuate to the extent that, without truly accurate
measurement, savings can be difficult to identify,
especially if they are in the region of 1-2 percent.
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How to Measure?
There has been a great deal of attention amongst 3. Directly measuring the same fouling control
ship hull paint manufacturers on the subject of fully system over a given time period. For this method a
transparent measurements of hull and propeller rule that a vessel on average will lose five percent
performance. speed over a 60-month period can be used.
Broadly speaking, three different methods can However, Jotun estimates that the average speed
be deployed to confirm the effectiveness of hull loss is 5.9%, rounded up to 6% (based on historical
coatings at preventing marine fouling: performance data now from more than 100 full dry-
docking intervals across all major sub-vessel types
1. Comparing two different coatings against each and anti-fouling technologies). As an indication,
other, on different vessels of a similar type, over the a 5% speed loss would translate to roughly a
same period of time. maximum average of 15% increase in fuel in order
to maintain speed. This assumption is not specific
2. Comparing two different coatings against each on fouling control type. The baseline data is then
other, on the same vessel, in two different service compared to the performance predicted or measured
intervals e.g. before and after dry docking. in service.
3. Comparing one coating against baseline ship Each method has its pros and cons:
performance, over a period of time.
- To be most accurate, method number 1 requires
The above are the methods explained at their hull coatings to be analysed over their full lifetime
most simple. International Paint and BMT and to be analysed on vessels that travel in similar
explain these three methods thus: operating conditions.
1. Directly comparing the in-service vessel - Method number 2 has the advantage of giving a
performance when using one fouling control system comparison over the vessels lifetime, as described in
over its full lifetime to that of another fouling control method 1, however the method being of applicable
system over its full lifetime. for shorter in-service periods such as 12 months is
questionable. In any case it requires that no other
2. Directly comparing a period of time in-service changes to the hull are made at dry-docking and if
prior to dry-docking with one fouling control fuel consumptions is to be compared, no changes to
system to the same period after the dry-docking and the engines are made at drydocking.
application of a new fouling control system.
- Method number 3 relies on an assumption
Different periods can be used, however it is regarding baseline deterioration in hull
recommended that the full intended lifetime of a performance, for example typically 5-7% of their
system is used as a basis of comparison, especially speed over a 50-month in-service period.
if the comparison is to be used for commercial
decisions. The use of comparing systems on a 12 None of these aforementioned methods offer
monthsnapshotis thought to be inaccurate by some a perfect comparison of performance but they
in the industry as if solely the first period is used as certainly all offer a valuable proxy.
basis for comparison, such a system would appear
an attractive investment as the coating may perform
better immediately out of dry dock immediately
after the coating has been applied, however, it may
perform worse prior to dry-docking due to the time
elapsed since coating.
A standard approach to singling out the individual However, MACSEA claim that this method has
factors is to create theoretical or empirical models proved incredibly accurate. The company quotes that
for each single factor and then use those models to through the use of a data set of 3,326 measurements,
make resistance corrections to a standard baseline of their calculated difference between predicted and
performance. actual performance was only 0.04% of the maximum
power range.
Separate models are commonly developed for each
component of resistance by using tank tests of small- Once the method of comparison has been chosen
scale models. and the key performance factors identified, the actual
measurements can take place at varying times.
However, this approach has several problems.
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In a presentation to Bellona Foundation in January 2013, MARIN summarised each method as well as
their pros and cons:
Method Pro Con
Dedicated Speed trials Most accurate method Only for performance decay over time
Results easily understood Interesting effects may be missed due to time
between trials
Dedicated manoeuvres needed
Limited volume of data
Noon reports Easy to implement Changing weather conditions over 24hrs must
Data is already there account for acceleration and deceleration
Manual input from crew limits accuracy
Time between measurement points very large
Continuousmonitoring Big volumes of data Less accurate than speed trials
Can detect short-term Requires sophisticated analysis
changes in performance Large dataset which can contain inexplicable
performance deviations
The best method will depend on the objective of the monitoring. This will depend on factors such:
- the person in charge;
- the available resources;
- the operational profile of the ship;
- the ship type.
How will the Standards be Key conclusions: For typical vessels, CSC estimates
Formulated? a 15-20% decrease in vessel efficiency on average
due to hull and propeller deterioration over a sailing
interval.
The standards are being worked on in three parts,
namely the principles of how to use them, the level A review of performance guarantees from coatings
of accuracy needed, depending on how the standard manufacturers showed that the most ambitious
will be used, and also in-company learning how promised a maximum speed loss on average of 1.5%
to ensure ships crews and other involved parties can over the dry-docking interval. This corresponds
best use the data. to a maximum vessel efficiency loss of 4% over
54 months, meaning that the vessel efficiency
The standards can also be used in commercial improvement potential associated with anti-fouling
guarantees, written into contracts between ship can be estimated as 11-16%.
operator and the coatings manufacturer.
Measuring performance based on a reliable and
One of the biggest hurdles for the standards, and one unbiased standard is recommended.
found with any fuel efficiency drive, is the hurdle
of charterparties that give owners little incentive to
maintain a fuel-efficient vessel when they do not
reap any benefit from operational savings.
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Eniram Hull Fouling on Cruise Ships Jotun - Clean Shipping Coalition
In 2012, Eniram completed a rigorous analysis of Jotun submitted a paper to the Clean Shipping
cruise ship performance in order to help shipowners Coalition on hull and propeller performance which
and operators estimate the impact of fouling in fed into the above summary submitted to the MEPC
different areas. in December 2011.
Method: Eniram analysed 60 cruise ships over Method: Jotun analysed changes in hull and
38,000 operative sea days, taking measurements propeller performance on 32 vessels over 48 dry-
of performance data at up to 25 times per second. docking intervals, covering most sub-vessel types
By complementing this data with temperature and and anti-fouling technologies. The typical length
salinity databases, the study was also able to account of the sailing interval was 54 months. The study
for the impact of dry-docking and washing on also included vessel performance data from 8 LNG
fouling. vessels covering 12 dry-docking intervals.
These cruise ships in question were between 90- Key conclusions: Average speed loss per year
120,000 GRT and sailed through the Caribbean, the across all the dry-docking intervals was 2.36%. This
coastal seas round California and Alaska as well as implies a cumulative speed loss of 10.6% over a
the Mediterranean and the Baltic. Each vessel sailed typical dry-docking interval, corresponding to a 32%
at least 30 days in a single area. reduction in vessel efficiency.
Key Conclusions: The study showed that operating On average over a typical dry-docking interval
in areas with a heavy development of fouling could this results in a 16% efficiency loss. However, a
increase costs by around US$500,000 per year on a number of the vessels included in the study had
single cruise vessel. also conducted ad-hoc or regular hull and propeller
cleaning. If these cleanings had not been done, the
There are significant differences in the efficiency loss would have been even higher.
aggressiveness of fouling between regions: on
average, the Caribbean caused the most fouling and On average over a typical dry-docking interval the
the Alaskan area the least. LNG vessels experienced a 17% vessel efficiency
loss attributable to a deterioration in hull and
Analysis of in-water hull cleaning also showed propeller performance.
that the first and second of these washes decreased
the added power consumption of vessels by 2%
depending on the coating. However, fouling
continued to increase rapidly after the washes,
and brushing also had the negative side-effect of
removing some of the coating from the hull itself.
Q. A 13% fuel cost and GHG emission saving is very impressive. On what do you base this
claim?
A. In close cooperation with a number of our ship owning customers we have analysed historical ship
performance data from more than 150 full dry-docking intervals covering all major antifouling
technologies from Jotun as well as from our competitors. Based on the data, the average propulsion
efficiency drop, attributable to deterioration in hull and propeller performance, was found to be 18%
over a 60 month dry-docking interval. This is in line with findings from other studies and, in our
opinion, the best available estimate of what may be referred to as market average hull and propeller
performance today.
As a part of our Hull Performance Solutions we guarantee that propulsion efficiency loss on average
over a 60 month dry docking interval shall not exceed 4.5%. The difference between market average
and our guaranteed level represents a 13.5% gain in propulsion efficiency.
In addition, the combination of the low friction properties in SeaQuantumX200 and state-of-the art
application procedures result in an improvement also in initial performance. We very conservatively
estimate the additional propulsion efficiency gain to be in the range of 1.5% - for a total gain of 15%
on average over a 60 month dry docking interval.
On an average ship around 85% of fuel is consumed for propulsion purposes while the rest is
consumed for other purposes. Therefore, on ships on a fixed schedule, a 15% propulsion efficiency
gain would typically translate into a 13% saving in overall fuel cost and GHG emissions. On ships that
must maintain speed only half the time, and that can accept a loss of speed the other half, the fuel cost
and GHG saving would be around 8.5%.
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Q. As a part of your solution you offer your own method for measuring delivered hull and
propeller performance Jotuns Hull Performance Measurement Method. Why should a ship
owner trust this method?
A. In order for our High Performance Guarantee to be meaningful to our customers, we need an
accurate and reliable methodology for measuring hull and propeller performance. When we started
work on our Hull Performance Solutions back in 2008, there was no commonly accepted methodology
available on the market so we saw no other choice but to develop such a methodology ourselves.
Jotuns Hull Performance Measurement Method has been judged sufficiently reliable so as to be used
in performance based contracts by a number of leading ship owners worldwide. The methodology is
also the starting point for on-going work on an ISO standard the ISO 19030.
Jotuns Hull Performance Measurement Method is fully transparent. The full details of the
methodology have been placed in the public domain and the performance data is generated by the
ship owners own measurement equipment. Therefore, whenever the need arises, an independent
third party can be called upon to verify any aspect of the methodology or the resulting measurements.
A. With our Hull Performance Solutions we have made it our business to deliver performance not
only paint. Therefore, if promised performance is not delivered, the customer should not pay.
Our high performance guarantee is really a cash-back guarantee. If guaranteed performance is not
delivered we pay back a sum of money typically amounting to the difference in price between our
high performance solution and a market average solution.
Thereby, while the expected return on the investment is considerable, the investment is virtually risk
free. This is why we are so confident that our Hull Performance Solutions is one of the most attractive
investment opportunities in shipping today.
Service Provided: Decision support and hull Hull Coefficient this is a proxy measure to the
performance integrated into data analysis suite, plus hulls condition due to fouling over time.
onshore analysis of data.
Propeller Coefficient indicates the propulsive
Real-time Feedback: Yes. Using the onshore efficiency of the propeller in isolation.
database, owners can identify the performance of
their fleet at any place. SFOC (Specific Fuel Oil Consumption) Coefficient
- a measure of the fuel consumption of the main
Fuel Savings: 2-10% possible when combined with engine is a direct indication of engine efficiency.
Octopus Onboard.
FOC (Fuel Oil Consumption) Coefficient
highlights the overall changes in fuel consumption
and is an indication of total vessel performance.
Users can perform data analysis on the results to
isolate trends in individual factors and so identify
changes in hull performance over time.
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DNV Petroleum Services Eniram - Onboard/ Onshore
Limited (DNVPS) - TOP Eniram offer a range of modular software solutions
Monitoring from onboard applications to comprehensive onshore
fleet analysis and data analytic services. All Eniram
DNVPS offers the Technical Operations solutions are fed data by the Eniram Vessel Platform
Performance (TOP) monitoring service that collects (EVP), a data collection platform that holds accurate
onboard data on main engine performance, auxiliary real-time data from multiple sources.
engine performance in addition to the hull and
propeller. Hull Fouling Analysis is an analytics service,
which helps to identify and quantify performance
This data is sent to DNV experts for analysis, who degradation due to impact of hull fouling and
generate customised recommendations to improve hull aging. This service uses both the extensive
performance and carry out necessary maintenance data collected and the experience and skills of
tasks. Enirams mathematical modelling and interpretation
capability.
Known Ship Types: All types with two-stroke
engines. Eniram has also carried out one of the most
comprehensive studies of fouling on cruise ships
Monitoring Method: TOP collects engine (See previous listed study).
performance data from participating vessels
equipped with two-stroke engines. The monitoring Known Ship Types: All large commercial vessel
system uses normal engine monitoring equipment types.
plus a torque meter and a Mean Indicated Pressure
(MIP) calculator as the only additional hardware. Service Provided: Monitoring and analysis.
Real-time Feedback: It appears not, due to need for Key Stated Benefits: Plan optimum hull cleaning
third party analysis. intervals on a cost-effective basis, monitor the
effects of different cleaning methods, and evaluate
the effect of fouling on hull structure after several
dry docks.
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Kyma - Ship Performance MACSEA - Hull Medic
Analysers MACSEA offers the Hull Medic software module
as part of its DEXTER suite of ship performance
Kyma offer high quality performance monitoring
monitoring tools.
products for all types of vessels. The company
offers the Ship Performance monitor as an online
The software is said to be able to detect the onset of
performance-monitoring program.
hull fouling and determine the optimal intervals for
hull cleaning and painting. It can also quantify fuel
Kyma Performance Monitoring makes it possible to
savings from prudent hull condition maintenance,
evaluate the economic impact of reduced propeller
measure the long-term degradation in hull and
efficiency and increased hull resistance. It is said
propeller efficiency, and determine if the hull coating
to be able to show the effect of any action taken to
is performing as advertised.
improve hull or propeller smoothness.
Known Ship Types: All.
Known Ship Types: All.
Service Provided: Expert analysis by onshore teams
Service Provided: Performance monitoring which
plus continuous monitoring.
can be accessed online.
Real-time Feedback: Yes, data analysis is
Real-time Feedback: Yes, data streaming over the
automated.
internet.
Cost: US$495 per ship per month for a two year
Monitoring Method: Information from this system
subscription (for 10 ships or more).
is based upon inputs from the shaft power meter, fuel
meter, speed log, GPS and anemometer. The output
Monitoring Method: Uses the ships propeller
information is presented as noon to noon and voyage
as a power absorption dynamometer, comparing
reports, trends as well as graphs where the actual
actual performance to clean-hull performance and
operating data is compared to reference data.
collecting over 100,000 data points each month to
measure the difference between measured power and
Recent Vessels/ Clients: An extensive list which
model-derived power and analyse the influence of
includes major names in the industry such as
individual factors.
Maersk, Chevron and Mitsui OSK.
Information Outputs: Speed, power, and fuel
losses due to hull fouling.
Key Vessels/Clients: Contract signed in 2011 to Recent Vessels/Clients: Imabari Shipbuilding and
install system onto the entire fleet of Greek owner Sayonas Shipbuilding to install Class NK-NAPA
Thenamaris, comprised of around 45 tankers, bulkers Green on board several existing vessels with further
and container ships development and verification to take place in 2013.
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Propulsion Dynamics - CASPER
Propulsion Dynamics offer the CASPER Cost: US$700,000 based on Teekay fleet feedback
(Computerised Analysis of Ship PERformance) of 90 vessels. Low vessel entry fee with monthly
service, which compares the actual performance of subscription service. No capital investment or
the ship to its performance as new. equipment required. The company says specific fees
available upon request.
The primary products of this service are CASPER
reports, which include a variety of indicators that Savings Claim: In their Carbon Disclosure Project
can be used to create an energy management plan. Report in 2011, Teekay stated that it found 1-3%
Specifically, the reports enable operators to make efficiency savings through timely hull and propeller
cost-benefit decisions on dry-dock treatment, coating cleaning, which CASPERs calculations can aid.
selection, hull cleanings, and propeller polishing as
well as evaluating the merits of slow steaming. ROI: One year but some customers have noted less
than that.
Active ships in the CASPER service increased by
20% in 2012. Technical Maturity: Since 2002; over 350 vessels
and 5,000 CASPER reports.
Known Ship Types: All vessels with single
displacement hulls over 5,000 DWT in blue water Recent Vessels/Clients: Teekay is reported to have
operation (voyages of at least 18 hours or more). subscribed 90 of its tankers to the CASPER service,
Propulsion arrangements include: slow speed diesel, as well Norden, reportedly subscribing 50 vessels to
diesel electric, single or twin screw. the service
Service Provided: Analysis by onshore teams of Information of Interest: Over 50% of the ships in
naval architects. the CASPER service are with shipowners who have
won the Green Ship or Clean Air Award
Real-Time Feedback: No, as vessel performance
data is recorded at periodic intervals.
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A Snapshot of the Market: Class Society Solutions
Several class societies also offer software and training solutions to monitor and simplify hull performance
measurement and maintenance. While these solutions tend to focus on hull integrity rather than hull coating
performance, they can offer a useful complement to hull performance measuring and monitoring.
There is no doubt that shipping is becoming increasingly proactive towards emissions reduction. The
truth is that the industry now has little choice. Fuelled by sustained high bunker costs and the need
to generate efficiencies wherever possible whilst complying with growing emissions regulation, ship
owners and operators are investing in operational and technical measures to safeguard the future of
their fleet.
Whilst the choice of viable technologies continues to grow, this is only one half of the emissions
reduction equation. The missing piece is a credible, universally agreed and independent methodology
for measuring and verifying emissions reduction.
For the market to fully realise the fuel and emissions reductions benefits of new and emerging
technologies, it will need to fully trust the fundamental data and analysis behind performance and
efficiency claims. The lack of an independent standard and verification is a claim that has been
pursued against the clean technology sector for some time. The conventional wisdom would certainly
suggest that the take up of clean technologies would be boosted even further with one.
For owners and operators, such a methodology would provide a significant commercial advantage
as they seek to increase and prove their fleets efficiency. An agreed standard would also demystify
current fuel savings claims and provide technology providers with a level playing field from which to
measure their products.
However, in order to substantiate these assumptions, an objective and independent consortia are
required to undertake an independent study to corroborate these assumptions. Once gathered, this
data can be used to reflect the industrys sentiment for a unilateral and independent methodology
standard for measuring emissions reduction; importantly it is the sentiment of multiple industry
stakeholders, particularly owners and operators, and not just technology companies that inevitably
have a vested interest.
To measure is to know, and real-time, automated performance monitoring has the potential to enable
the crew on board a vessel to take necessary actions early in response to changing conditions that can
adversely affect fuel consumption. From an onshore management perspective, real-time, onboard
performance monitoring enables long-term trends to be measured and analysed to enable faster and
more precise decision making within the long-term goal of developing more efficient fleet operations.
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Currently, most ship owners and operators have limited information about the fuel consumption
and the energy efficiency of their fleet. For most, performance analysis is carried out manually with
operators comparing energy performance reports and audits in isolation against budget estimates.
Many ship owners and operators today have to rely on inadequate information and data to justify
investments. If they dont have confidence in the fuel and emissions reduction figures that are claimed,
the take up of these technologies and further innovation will be stifled and customers will spend more
on fuel than they need to at a time when budgets are being significantly stretched and charterers are
increasingly scrutinising their fuel spend. With current technology and innovation there is the scope
for a meaningful framework and roadmap for calculating fuel consumption and a level playing field
provided for all.
With hull coatings being the most widely used eco-efficient technology on the market, and as a leading
global marine coatings supplier, International Paint has the opportunity, and responsibility to lead
the way. However, it should not, and cannot be up to hull coatings companies to set the parameters
and methodologies by which their products are measured; a principle that is relevant to all clean
technologies and their manufacturers.
The best and most appropriate thing we can do is to let independent, third party expert fuel and
emissions monitoring organisations, in consultation with a cross-section of industry stakeholders
develop a standard model that can be applied to measure fuel consumption and the savings that
can be generated through technology. Tapping into accurate, high-quality and high-frequency
fuel consumption and vessel performance data, collected from ships sensors monitoring engine
torque, navigational systems and the speed log, throughout the service life of a vessel could become
a fundamental way of improving the operational efficiency of the global shipping fleet. Ensuring
independence is critical and the most responsible and effective way to generate credibility and
accurate eco-efficiency benefits for clean technology manufacturers, which will serve to build trust
with ship owners and operators and the wider shipping industry.
Accurate measurement can only serve to challenge coatings manufacturers to continue to develop
technology to better serve future demands for greater efficiency within the industry. Technology
providers for their part must seek to understand customers needs and calibrate investment in
research and development to stay ahead of the challenges that emerge.
The current economic challenges and the realisation of multi-faceted regulation facing the industry
are not the first time in shippings long history that it has been faced with making hugely impactful
decisions. As in the past, challenges should inspire innovation to create long-term sustainability.
Investing in innovation now is most certainly the way ahead.
The use of TBT largely eliminated the need for hull Cleaning in dry dock is more effective and safer
cleaning, however since it was banned hull cleaning however the cost of dry docking rules this out as a
has been reinstated as a necessary part of hull regular practice and tends to occur just at scheduled
maintenance regardless of what protective coatings dry dock for obvious reasons. Ships entering their
are applied. second or third 5-year docking can significantly
improve fuel efficiency by white-metal blasting the
A recent report from the Clean Shipping Coalition hull but this really appropriate or cost effective at
(CSC) estimated that inadequate hull and propeller every dry docking.
performance could reduce the entire worlds fleet
efficiency by 15-20% over a typical 4 to 5 year This therefore leaves underwater cleaning as the
sailing interval. This represents a serious economic most frequent form of hull cleaning.
liability.
However, underwater cleaning is not without
Source 1 below represents real data measurements liabilities and restrictions:
from a vessel clearly shows the impact regular
cleaning of a ships hull has on fuel consumption. 1. Softer coatings such as biocidal anti-fouling
and foul release coating systems can be damaged
with underwater cleaning, particularly where an
aggressive approach is needed.
2. During cleaning coatings which contain toxic
substances such as biocides may shed and can be
considered an environmental hazard with a pulse
discharge of these substances out in to the water.
3. Cleaning a heavily fouled hull, where the fouling
was acquired elsewhere, can be an invasive species
risk.
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Underwater Cleaning Methods
The most prevalent method of underwater hull
cleaning requires divers to use rotating brush
equipment to remove the accumulated fouling.
Propeller Cleaning/Polishing
CleanHull AS
The following service providers are profiled just CleanHull AS is an underwater cleaning specialist
to show a snapshot of the different methods and which relies on an automated remote underwater
innovative technologies available. vehicle called CleanROV to carry out hull cleaning.
The company is based in Norway.
It is by no means an exhaustive list as there are many
hull cleaning providers all over the world Locations: Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and
Singapore.
Limpieza Purotecnica S.A. Vessel Types: All.
Limpieza Purotecnica S.A. is a provider of hull
Fuel Saving Claim: An average of 5% although up
cleaning equipment founded in 2000 and based in
to 8% according to company literature.
Spain. They were set up especially to promote the
Cavi-Jet cleaning technology and related services,
Cost: Between US$15,000 and US$30,000 per
which the company has been delivering worldwide
cleaning dependent on vessel size.
since 2012.
Verification: In-service data.
Locations: The Mediterranean, Asia, America,
Europe, Russia, the Middle East and West Africa.
Specialist Equipment: CleanHull uses a patented
high-pressure water cleaning technology which
Vessel Types: All.
is a brushless cleaning method delivered by an
autonomous underwater vehicle. This CleanROV
Specialist Equipment: The Cavi-Jet System uses
crawls around a ships hull, rotates on its own axis,
salt or fresh water to create a high-speed water jet
and documents the cleaning process with multiple
which contains microscopic bubbles of gas and
cameras. It can clean 800-1000 sq m an hour.
steam. These bubbles collapse when they meet the
hull surface, producing micro-explosions up to
Verification: According to CleanHull, tests by
150,000 bar that are said to lead to rust and fouling
independent surveyors prove that CleanROV does
being destroyed.
not cause damage or abrasion to the anti-fouling.
Cleaning rates are as follows:
Cavi-Jet pistols - 250-350 m2/hr
Self-propelled Cavi-Jet heads 600-900 m2/hr
Self-propelled twin Cavi-Jet heads 1200-1500
m2/hr
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Commercial Diving Services ECOsubsea
Commercial Diving Services Pty Ltd is an Australian ECOsubsea is a new underwater cleaning company
company with over 55 years of underwater cleaning founded in 2008 and based in Norway. The founder,
experience. They have extensive experience Tor M. Ostervold, received the Young Entrepreneur
with shipping, maintenance, and mobile offshore Award at NorShipping 2013.
operations.
Vessel Types: Not specified.
In 2009 their Hull Surface Treatment (HST) was
awarded 1st prize for Environmental Innovation at Locations: Approved for use in five ports although
the Lloyds List Asia Awards. details not specified.
In 2010 HST was shortlisted as one of the top five Specialist Equipment: ECOsubsea technology
emerging technologies in Maritime Environmental consists of a cleaning and suction unit that enables
Protection in the Seatrade Asia Awards. in-water cleaning of hulls while also collecting
debris at the same time.
Locations: Australia.
Validation: The collection efficiency of the cleaner
Vessel Types: All. is above 95% based on model trials.
Costs: Typical costs are US$6,000 - $12,000 per Key Partners: Wilh Wilhelmsen ASA, Innovation
polishing. Divers are required to carry out services Norway
on rudders and propellers which are typically more
complex devices.
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SCAMP UMC International
SCAMP is a leading provider of underwater hull UMC International are specialists in underwater
cleaning machines as well as services for propeller maintenance and marine repair based in the UK and
polishing and underwater hull maintenance. The with 40 years of experience. They carry out work
company is part of the Gibraltar-based Gibunco on more than 1500 vessels and platforms each year
Group and has over 45 years experience in fuel worldwide, from tankers to warships to cruise liners
conservation and underwater engineering. and including jack-up rigs.
The company has been providing propeller polishing The company has dedicated operational hubs in
and underwater hull cleaning for the US Military 60 locations spanning the globe, meaning that
Navy for over 30 years. UMC can provide rapid and effective support. The
company continues to expand since acquisition by V
Locations: More than 280 locations worldwide. Ships in 2006.
Boud Van Rompay began underwater cleaning on ships in the early 1970s. Since then he has built a leading
international underwater repair and maintenance company, Hydrex, and has developed and brought to
market a non-toxic, durable hull coating with a full line of advanced underwater cleaning equipment to go
with it.
Q: What direction do you think this growth of underwater cleaning will take?
A: You cant separate the cleaning from the coatings used. In order for widespread, routine in-water cleaning
to become a reality, the industry will need to move away from toxic coatings. Its not sustainable to keep
pouring hundreds of thousands of tons of heavy metals and toxic chemicals into our oceans. They dont just
go away. So the future of underwater cleaning includes a shift to non-toxic, really non-toxic coatings. Then
ports can allow cleaning without fear of pollution. If ships are cleaned often enough to prevent the fouling
from going beyond a medium slime layer, there will be no fear of spreading nuisance species. The demand
for industrial strength cleaning will lead to a global infrastructure that can cope with the existing world fleet,
just as there is an infrastructure around the world which can cope with the demand for fueling of commercial
and other ships. But while the industry continues to put toxic coatings on ships persists, the subject of
underwater cleaning will remain confused and problematical.
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Q: What about guidance and regulation, such as from the IMO?
A: This is tending, albeit very slowly, in the direction of phasing out toxic hull coatings and requiring greater
attention to how much biofouling a ship is carrying. This will gradually lead to the obvious solution which
is to apply hard, cleanable coatings, build up the infrastructure for economical, widely available industrial
strength underwater cleaning.
Q: Whats next?
A: Get the word out. Get more shipowners and operators to opt for this environmentally benign approach.
We have considered developing a car-wash like procedure for cleaning ships. It would be designed for
frequent, rapid cleaning without any interruption to a ships schedule. It would require a tough, surface
treated composite (STC coating system) in order for it to work. Because all of this makes economic as well
as environmental sense it will eventually be adopted by the industry. The sooner the better to my mind.