Page 27: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2011)

According to Hempel, a marine coat-ings manufacturer and a member of the reen Ship of the Future (SF) project, the shipping industry can save time and money in the drydock, as well as at sea with the Hempasil package, the third generation of Hempel?s fouling release coating technology. Hempel does not simply state it, the company guarantees that shipowners will save fuel, and thus reduce its CO2 emissions.For many shipowners, fossil fuel costs not only place a huge strain on operatingbudgets, they also make up a substantial part of their ecological footprint. Slow steaming may be a viable solution forsome vessels and help operators reduce costs and CO2 emissions. However de- spite slow steaming, container operators for example, still spend up to 0 percent of their total operating costs on fuel.The shipping industry is also facing increasing pressure from governments and legislative authorities to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In response,many shipowners have set their own en- vironmental targets in order to reduce their CO2 emissions, but finding effec- tive ways to meet these targets can be a challenge.Hempel has developed what it touts as the most effective antifouling coating system available. Based on hydrogel technology, Hempasil is designed to fool fouling organisms (from biological slime and seaweed to barnacles) into thinking a ship?s hull is liquid, essen- tially rendering the hull invisible so the organisms don?t attach. The result a smooth hull that sails smoothly throughthe water meaning less fuel is needed to propel the vessel because there is less friction. The company guarantees fuel con- sumption will decrease, and with re-duced fuel consumption comes lessCO2 emissions. Hempasil ?s bio- cide-free composition and minimalOC level strengthen its environmental credentials and also ensure that solvent emissions are kept to an absolute mini- mum.Although fouling release coatings have been around for years, the hydrogel inHempasil makes it unique, according to the manufacturer. Containing non-re- active polymers, Hempasil can offer active protection from fouling organisms for up to seven-and-a-half-years and is still effective if the vessel operates at low speeds or activity levels. ?There are already self-cleaning an-tifouling products that work at speeds above 15 knots,? said Peter Thorlaksen, part of the RD team at Hempel that de- veloped Hempasil . ?But when a ship moves slower, there?s not enough friction to clean off the organisms. We deliber- ately created Hempasil to maintain its self-cleaning ability at low speeds and to July 2011www.marinelink.com 27Hempasil X3 Hempel Guarantees Fuel Savings