Jotun, a leading global supplier of paints and coatings, has signed an agreement with Wallenius Wilhelmsen to provide its hull performance solutions (HPS) anti-fouling coating system across 42 vessels in the leading shipowner’s advanced RoRo fleet.

HPS combines premium SeaQuantum X200 antifouling with technical and digital solutions to accurately measure hull performance. The antifouling works to increase vessel efficiency, cut fuel costs and reduce CO2 emissions, said a statement.

By utilising HPS across its fleet Wallenius Wilhelmsen will have a powerful tool to optimise environmental performance and deliver enhanced stakeholder value.

Ulf Skovli, regional sales director, Jotun Marine Scandinavia, said: “This is a major contract with a true global leader within this industry niche.”

“Wallenius Wilhelmsen is a respected shipowner and operator that is known for its commitment to innovation, optimal operational standards and environmental care. It’s therefore hugely gratifying that it has chosen Jotun as ‘solutions partner’ for the future, and very pleasing to see the team’s faith in the powerful benefits of the HPS offering,” added Skovli.

Gunhild Tveitan, business development manager Scandinavia, said: “Working together we will be able to optimise hull performance and help Wallenius Wilhelmsen fully comply with global regulations and targets, while meeting its own stringent environmental objectives.”

“This is a high quality solution for a high quality shipping company. We see it as a great match and look forward to building a strong working relationship,” Tveitan added.

Fouling is a key contributor to the spread of invasive species across marine ecosystems and a major cause of hull inefficiency, leading to increased fuel consumption and emissions. Studies have suggested that the fuel consumption of the world fleet could be reduced by up to 20 per cent if all vessels were kept fouling free.

Geir Fagerheim, SVP marine operations, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said: “As a company we are focused on enhancing sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of our operations – maintaining clean hulls is a key enabler for that.”

“With HPS we can not only achieve this objective, but we also open a digital window onto how hull condition affects fleet-wide performance, efficiency and emissions, creating a culture of transparency and accountability,” Fagerheim said.

“We believe this kind of partnership can be an important platform for building an increasingly sustainable shipping industry, helping inform better decision making and creating new solutions for the future. We are excited to get started on that journey with Jotun,” Fagerheim added.

Jotun is the world’s leading supplier of marine coatings, its HPS concept was launched to the market in 2011 and has now been delivered to close to 1000 vessels. – TradeArabia News Service