Ship owners and operators using the Intersleek range of biocide-free marine coatings supplied by AkzoNobel have achieved fuel savings worth a combined total of $3 billion since the technology was first introduced 21 years ago, the company said in a statement.

The company said that more than 5,500 vessels have been coated with the company’s Intersleek products – part of the international range of coatings – helping ship owners and operators to save ten million tonnes of fuel and 32 million tonnes of CO2. The savings achieved over the last two decades are equivalent to the amount of CO2 emitted when 15.5 billion kilograms of coal is burned, or during a 123 billion km car journey (a distance similar to 400 return trips from Earth to the sun), it said.

The milestones are based on the savings achieved by using Intersleek in comparison to each vessel’s previous hull coating system. The product range – which has the best foul release track record within the shipping industry – was the first silicone-based technology developed for fast crafts and deep-sea scheduled vessels.

“Intersleek has come a long way since we first discovered the foul release effect of silicone elastomers in the laboratory as part of our R&D process to create more sustainable technologies,” explained Oscar Wezenbeek, managing director of AkzoNobel’s Marine Coatings business.

“Since then, it has had a significant impact on the shipping industry and made a tangible difference for many ship owners, as well as playing a leading role in our ongoing commitment to making shipping more sustainable,” he added.

Following the original launch 21 years ago, several versions of Intersleek have been introduced, each providing improved vessel efficiency. Intersleek is also at the heart of AkzoNobel’s industry first carbon credits scheme, which financially rewards operators for generating less CO2 emissions.

The ship owners are awarded one carbon credit for each tonne of CO2 saved. This effectively rewards owners twice for choosing sustainable coatings – both through a reduction in fuel costs and the financial benefits of the credits awarded. The carbon credits initiative incentivizes investment in more sustainable practices, thereby accelerating carbon reduction within the shipping industry, and enabling owners to gain from operational, environmental and bottom line benefits from clean technologies.

To mark the 21st anniversary of the Intersleek range, AkzoNobel is launching a special campaign. It’s designed to reflect on the technology’s impact on the global shipping industry, as well as the importance of increasing sustainability within the sector. The campaign will include a series of commercial incentives (to be announced shortly) which will aim to drive continued uptake of Intersleek and, in doing so, drive further fuel and emissions savings across the global fleet.

Meanwhile, AkzoNobel’s Marine Coatings Business, announced the launch of a new shipping industry engagement programme to support the widespread and successful adoption of ISO 19030, the new global standard for hull and propeller performance measurement.

ISO 19030 Ships and Marine Technology – Measurement of changes in hull and propeller performance was finalised in 2016 following three years of development by a wide range of industry stakeholders including coating and propeller manufacturers, academics, ship owners and data analysts. It enables ship owners and operators to compare hull and propeller solutions, and select the most efficient option for their vessels and fleets.

“ISO 19030 represents a key milestone in on-going work to enhance the accuracy and transparency of hull and propeller performance monitoring,” said Barry Kidd, ISO 19030 working group member for AkzoNobel’s Marine Coatings Business. “However, as a voluntary standard, the success of ISO 19030 is dependent on ship owners and operators understanding and recognising its benefits and applying approved data analysis techniques on board vessels.”

AkzoNobel’s engagement programme will involve simplifying the complexities of ISO 19030, explaining the principles and values of the standard, and clarifying the appetite for its take-up within the market. “ISO 19030 has the potential to play a decisive role in strengthening relationships between ship owners and providers of energy saving solutions such as hull coating and propeller manufacturers, which will in turn enable the industry to work towards the adoption of the most sustainable and efficient technologies,” said Barry Kidd. “However there is no room for complacency if we want to secure the buy in of ship owners and operators into ISO 19030. It is up to businesses like AkzoNobel to work at the forefront with industry stakeholders to progress its widespread and successful adoption.”

AkzoNobel played an influential role in the development of all parts of ISO 19030. In particular, AkzoNobel championed ISO 19030 Part 3, which is founded on a tiered system of potential methods for monitoring, included noon report data collection. The development of Part 3 ensures that the vast majority of ship owners (90%) can use and demonstrate compliance with the new standard; Part 2 can be used by an estimated 10% of the commercial fleet, as it is based on taking data from sophisticated on-board sensors and high frequency intervals.

ISO 19030 can be applied to measure the performance of all AkzoNobel’s fouling control coatings. In addition to measuring actual performance of hull coatings, AkzoNobel has integrated ISO 19030 into its big data hull performance prediction technology Intertrac Vision. This means hull coating performance predictions from Intertrac Vision, can be verified and validated against actual performance using a monitoring process that is ISO 19030 compliant.

As a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals, AkzoNobel supplies essential ingredients, essential protection and essential colour to industries and consumers worldwide. Backed by a pioneering heritage, its innovative products and sustainable technologies are designed to meet the growing demands of the fast-changing planet, while making life easier.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, it has approximately 46,000 people in around 80 countries, while its portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International, Interpon and Eka. Consistently ranked as a leader in sustainability, it is dedicated to energising cities and communities while creating a protected, colourful world where life is improved by what it does.