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INDUSTRIAL FINISHING: MARINE COATINGS

Frost & Sullivan expects the
differentiator in the sense that it offers unique support that both
market to grow at a steady rate adds value and meets the needs of customers,” Jotun’s Global Digital
& Data Director, Andreas Krapp, PhD, says. “Ship operators that use
of 3.5 percent from 2018 to 2025 HullKeeper will be able to identify potential problems long
before fouling impacts vessel speed, allowing them to make better
and reach $9.34 billion by 2025. decisions, faster.”
Krapp explains that increased fuel consumption related to
biofouling accounts for about nine per cent of the 919 million tons of
CO2 and 21 million tons of other greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted
inspections and analytical and technical expertise to help operators by shipping annually. HullKeeper represents an opportunity to help
keep fuel, inspection and cleaning costs under control. the industry make significant emissions reductions, he says.
The four-part program optimizes hull performance, regardless of In April, Hempel announced it was supplying coatings to a large
the chosen coating. Ship operators can take full control of their oper- tidal energy project in the UK.
ations through hull monitoring, fouling risk alerts, inspections and Dubbed O2, the project will operate at the European Marine
advisory services. Operators can benefit from the complete package Energy Centre (EMEC) in the Orkney Islands where tidal currents
or select only the parts that work for them. can reach over four meters per second, making them some of the
HullKeeper is grounded in Jotun’s proprietary fouling risk algo- strongest in the world. To harness this energy, Orbital’s O2 compris-
rithm, supported by data from different sources to make fouling es two 1 MW turbines, which together create a 600 m2 rotor area and
control and efficiency more predictable. By providing insight into can generate 2 MW of clean, predictable energy. O2 is capable of
issues before they occur, ship operators can take planned corrective supplying enough energy to power around 2,000 UK homes.
actions. And as more data and information accumulate, best prac- “We’re proud to be playing a part in the development of the O2, a
tices can be identified and implemented across the whole fleet. groundbreaking project with the potential to help make tidal energy
According to Stein Kjølberg, Jotun’s Global Category Director a viable source of energy in the UK and overseas. We see enormous
Hull Performance, more ship operators have recognized that potential in helping customers like Orbital put the world on a
proactive fouling control and hull efficiency are critical to managing more sustainable path,” says Nick Frowen, Managing Director at
increasingly strict regulations, rising fuel costs and environmental Hempel UK Ltd.
performance. Hempel has been involved in the project since Orbital’s prototype
“Jotun has a proven record of developing products and services SR2000 turbine was built in 2015. As well as anti-corrosion coatings,
that help customers meet the demands of a changing industry,” Hempel has supplied Hempaguard X7 for the O2’s turbine rotor
Kjølberg says. “HullKeeper extends the range of our services, helping blades. Hempaguard X7 was developed specifically to combat bio-
operators make well-informed and proactive decisions to improve fouling, such as by algae and barnacles. On a ship, it keeps the
hull efficiency as they push for optimal performance, efficiency and vessel’s hull smooth to reduce drag and lower fuel consumption and
regulatory compliance.” associated emissions. On the O2, it performs a similar role, keeping
Controlling the condition of a ship’s hull is the key to lowering fuel the rotor blades free from biofouling so they can deliver full power
consumption and corresponding emissions. “HullKeeper is a market with each rotation.
According to Andrew Scott, CEO of Orbital, collaborations with
companies like Hempel have been key to the O2’s development. “We
rely heavily on our supply chain to help deliver our pioneering
Tapping into Growth Opportunities technology such that it exceeds expectations, and in that regard, we
are delighted to continue our relationship with Hempel for our
• Collaborating with the shipbuilding and dry-docking novel coating applications,” he says.
companies to understand application demand and provide And with a strategy to double revenue by 2025, Hempel hopes to
sustainable solutions. Customer collaboration and engage- build its marine segment and has hired Alexander Enström as Vice
ment is the key to sustainable business. President and Head of Marine to head up its new global marine or-
• Focusing on product compliance and performance as these ganization. The company says it wants to better serve global marine
criteria influence material selection for production of customers with a full range of coatings and services.
antifouling coatings. “At Hempel, we want to create long-term partnerships with
• Developing portfolios with wider application scope to enjoy our customers in order to support their needs and sustainability
better market traction as customer engagement becomes journeys,” says Lars Petersson, CEO, Hempel. “Marine customers
easier. are becoming more global. Our new marine organization mirrors
• Establishing and expanding market presence by collabo- this, enabling us to better meet and respond to our customers’
rating with key distributors and end customers such as global requirements.”
shipbuilding companies and dry-docking facilities. He adds, “I’m extremely pleased that we succeeded in attracting
Source: Frost & Sullivan Alexander Enström to our team. He is a proven global leader with a
deep understanding of marine customer needs. He will add leader-
44 CANADIAN FINISHING & COATINGS MANUFACTURING MAY/JUNE 2021