Introducing Intercept®8000 LPP, a new patented biocidal antifouling set to revolutionize predictability in hull coating performance and Intersleek®1100SR the industry’s first patented biocide-free slime-release technology.
In February, International Paint, part of AkzoNobel, the world’s largest global paints and coatings company, announced at a press conference in London, a sea-change in hull performance with the launch of two new coatings solutions.
The unique LUBYON® polymer technology gives the coating a ‘superhydrophilic’ surface. When the coating is immersed, the seawater has a lubricating effect, resulting in less friction. This reduces drag and increases vessel efficiency giving average fuel consumption and associated emissions savings of 5% annually compared with typical controlled depletion polymer antifoulings. The coating surface also swells on contact with seawater, helping to smooth out imperfections and potentially further reducing drag.
LUBYON® technology reacts with seawater via a constant surface active zone releasing only the optimum amount of biocide over the scheme life to control fouling settlement. Critically, this biocide release rate is largely unaffected by seawater temperature meaning Intercept®8000 LPP has total trading flexibility and can operate across global routes and through all seasons.
Unlike typical silyl and metal acrylate antifoulings Intercept®8000 LPP replicates the linear polishing of the shipping industry benchmark tributyltin based coatings meaning total predictability with the polishing rate remaining constant throughout the in service period.
Designed for the deep sea market at newbuilding and maintenance and repair, the coating has been extensively monitored with in service performance validated on multiple vessel types including containers, tankers, bulk carriers and LNGs representing over 4 million dwt.
Also available is an economical version of Intercept®8000 LPP, Intercept®7000. Derived from patented LUBYON® polymer technology, Intercept®7000 features all of the attributes of a typical mid range biocidal antifouling product with the added benefit of linear polishing.
International Paint has also launched Intersleek®1100SR, the shipping industry’s first biocide-free, fluoropolymer technology that tackles the market’s age-old ‘slime challenge’. Slime, a complex, varied and dynamic organism which begins to colonize surfaces as soon as they enter the water, has been proven to have an adverse effect on the efficiency of all vessel types. According to a recent formula produced by Michael P. Schultz, Professor, Department of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering, US Naval Academy, at today’s bunker prices, the effects of slime potentially costs the shipping industry 44 million extra tonnes of bunker fuel, $28.6 billion in additional fuel costs and an extra 134 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
Designed for all commercial vessels, even when slow or ultra slow steaming, new Intersleek®1100SR slime-release technology delivers outstanding macro and micro fouling control with good static resistance even in warm waters. Slime that can build up during static periods is released by the movement of the vessel through water. This has been achieved by the new patented fluoropolymer in Intersleek®1100SR which has been developed by enhancing the slime resistant polymer groups used in earlier generations of Intersleek® technology creating new surface chemistry that specifically resists the adhesion of slime.
The technology is the culmination of comprehensive research to understand slime growth. The development of the new polymer included a three year fundamental research programme involving a multi-discipline team of marine biologists, hydrodynamicists and polymer scientists. The team was supported by world renowned independent academic institutes, four years of laboratory testing and in service, full vessel performance data, from some of the world’s leading ship owners and operators.
Intersleek®1100SR’s slime release technology delivers International Paint’s best fuel-saving performance throughout the entire docking cycle of a vessel.
Paul Robbins, Marine Marketing Director at International Paint said:“Amid record high bunker fuel prices and lack of liquidity within the shipping industry, the economic importance of underwater hull condition cannot be understated. The launch of Intercept®8000 LPP and Intersleek®1100SR, demonstrates our commitment to providing customers with real choice and the broadest range of fouling control solutions that meet the specific needs of their vessels, fleets and operational preferences.
“It also highlights International Paint’s mission to introduce new, often revolutionary innovations and market leading technologies that drive operational, cost and environmental efficiencies for our customers. Research, development and innovation underpin everything we do to provide the market with technology choice while also supporting our commitment to sustainability.”