LET THERE BE LIGHT
Ultraviolet (UVC) light is a promising technology in the field, particularly in the form of flexible light-emitting panels. AkzoNobel has been involved with Philips in the development of its RunWell panels. Testing on commercial vessels has shown that UV light emitted from a hull’s surface can present an effective deterrent to biofouling in a range of locations, in a range of conditions, whether a hull is in motion or not.
Birkert explains: “What we’re looking at is embedding UVC LEDs into a highly mobile, highly fluid material that you can stick onto pretty much any shape. Power requirements are very minimal, and these things could potentially last ten years without replacement.” With trials expected in the leisure industry within the next five years, it’s hoped that UV light could play a major part in the removal of biocides from the antifoul equation.
SECOND SKIN
Biomimetic technologies attempt to make a boat hull ‘invisible’ to fouling organisms by mimicking a variety of natural foul-resistant surfaces, whether that involves coral tentacles or the skin of a whale or dolphin. Shark skin, with its overlapping plates and parallel ridges, has garnered particular attention – and as 3D printing and laminate technologies continue to develop, new materials and application techniques are likely to make biomimetic solutions a possibility.
SOUND TRAVELS
Ultrasonic antifouling systems use transducers to emit simultaneous bursts of ultrasonic sound waves in multiple frequencies. The theory is that the alternating positive and negative pressures create microscopic bubbles that implode against the surface, destroying the very microorganisms that form the building blocks for bio fouling.
Though concerns over the long- term impact of ultrasound on key mammalian species including whales and dolphins have been raised, studies have drawn no conclusive evidence to support those concerns and ultrasonic systems remain in use both on steel-built commercial vessels and as standalone and supplementary systems on recreational craft.
A NEW AGE OF INTEGRATION
Gone are the days when paint manufacturers confined themselves solely to coatings. A more dynamic 360 approach is also coming into play. According to Stein Kjølberg, global category director, hull performance, at Jotun Performance Coatings, the change in how users are approaching their fouling problem in itself is a critical innovation.
“In the commercial world, the onset of fouling is always discovered too late, leading to inflated fuel costs for an average of six months before remedial action is taken. So it makes sense that effective antifouling systems need to involve a combination of the products we supply, the advice we give and the cleaning techniques we use,” Kjølberg says.
Jotun’s industry-first ‘hull skating’ antifoul robot could bring extra flexibility to fouling response protocols. Its integrated Hull Keeper system takes full advantage of the improvements in ‘big data’ to go even deeper. According to Jotun, it assesses the data in relation to a vessel’s type, route and activities, enabling ship owners to take early action against fouling and to remain properly informed about where to clean and where to sit idle, so they can minimise the severity of the fouling challenge.
This data-driven approach is strongly endorsed by other industry players too – not least, AkzoNobel, which states that its integrated Intertrac Hullcare system can achieve “step- change reductions in CO2 emissions of up to 34,000 tonnes and fuel savings of €4.6million” for a ship owner over a ten-year period.
ROBOTIC RANGE
The advent of the integrated service package looks likely to make a major impact on the leisure market as well. After all, if an owner wants a clean, fast and efficient hull for five years, then rather than buying a standalone antifoul coating, it makes sense to invest in a subscription-based service that spreads the cost and improves consistency.
According to Phil Horton, environment and sustainability manager at the RYA, such a service already exists in the Baltic states, where boats with silicone coatings are able to clean their hulls in marinas simply by driving through robotic car wash-style in- water jet systems.
Horton notes the sheer scale of the business opportunities available to paint manufacturers who are willing to cooperate more closely with marina operators and cleaning companies.
“With sustainability now providing such a strong driving force, innovation is really starting to happen, not just in relation to the antifoul coatings themselves but also in relation to the way people think about maintaining their hulls.
“There are still strides to be made in terms of independent testing so that businesses and consumers are able to assess how well each new technology works but with everyone now moving in the same direction, I have no doubt that we are on the cusp of a more elegant, more engineered, more carefully considered approach that takes proper account of environmental concerns as well as performance,” says Horton.
The Report • September 2022 • Issue 101 | 79
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