New Hull Coating Promises 6% Bunker Savings

Hempaguard X7 comes with a performance satisfaction guarantee.

Danish coatings supplier Hempel A/S has announced a new hull coating for the shipping industry that promises fuel savings of six percent plus fouling resistance of up to 120 days during idle periods.

The product is available as Hempaguard X5 and Hempaguard X7, and offers fouling defence for up to 36 months and 90 months respectively, which Hempel says applies for any type of vessel with any trading pattern.

The technology in the product, called ActiGuard, has been five years in development and is based on silicone-hydrogel and biocid-based antifoulings.

Hempel says it is so convinced of the product's performance that it is offering a performance satisfaction guarantee contract for vessels complying with a full Hempaguard X7 specification.

"If you are not satisfied for any reason using Hempel's top tier product Hempaguard X7, Hempel will pay, under the performance satisfaction guarantee contract, for the conversion of Hempaguard back to conventional antifouling and with no questions asked," said Fouling Control Marketing Manager Claes Skat-Rørdam.

"Our goal was to re-think the market. By introducing this concept and a performance satisfaction guarantee contract, that is precisely what we have done."

Hempel says it developed the coating as a result of its customer's requests who were facing rising bunkering costs, tightening environmental regulations, and mandatory Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans (SEEMP).

"Our tests have shown that Hempaguard retains its effectiveness when switching between slow and fast steaming anywhere in the world as well as during extended idle periods of up to 120 days. This is particularly interesting for bulk carriers that can be redirected at short notice, as well as larger container vessels and tankers that may wish to increase speed to meet schedules, or slow steam to achieve extra fuel savings," concluded Claes Skat-Rørdam.