EMEA News
AkzoNobel Announces New Bunker Saving Biocidal Hull Coating
Dutch coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel has announced the launch of a new antifouling biocide, Intercept 8500 LPP, that the company predicts will "revolutionize" the biocidal coatings market.
Ship owners and operators should benefit from improvements in "operational, cost and environmental efficencies" by using the new product, the company says.
The product is said to be the "highest-performing" biocidal antifouling application the company makes, and features "predictable fouling control performance" for in-service periods of up to 90 months, even on high risk fouling routes.
"Intercept 8500 LPP's unique polymer combination delivers a step change in biocidal coatings performance that will revolutionize the biocidal coatings market," said Carl Barnes, Antifouling Business Manager, AkzoNobel.
"Based on in-service trials – which included high risk fouling routes between the Arabian Gulf and South East Asia – Intercept 8500 LPP surpasses the fouling control performance of all our biocidal coatings," said Barnes.
The product includes extended performance guarantees and is made of a unique polymer combination incorporating AkzoNobel's patented "Lubyon" technology.
"Intercept 8500 LPP is the culmination of ten years of research and development by AkzoNobel's research scientists, hydrodynamicists and marine biologists, " said Oscar Wezenbeek, Managing Director Marine Coatings, AkzoNobel.
The bunker savings that can be gained from hull coatings have been well documented by their manufacturers, but last October Ship & Bunker reported that AkzoNobel had launched a new tool, Intertrac Vision, designed to help vessel owners estimate the savings before fouling control coatings before they are applied.
