Intersleek900 silicon-based anti-fouling paint offers the following advantages:
- Fouling is easy to remove thanks to superior smoothness because the paint reduces surface roughness. This is different from normal self-polishing type paints work by gradually transferring of the paint containing the antifouling agent (*2).
- Improved water repellency makes it more difficult for marine organisms to adhere to the hull.
- Intersleek900 is more environmentally friendly because it does not contain anti-fouling agents such as cuprous oxide (*3).
- Reduced coefficient of friction underwater is expected to reduce fuel consumption by 6%, with a corresponding cut in CO2 emissions.
- There is no need to repaint every time the vessel is in dry-dock. This reduces paint consumption and saves labor.
MOL has promoted the Senpaku ISHIN project (*4) as one of its environmental strategies in the midterm management plan GEAR UP! MOL. The company has taken a proactive approach to introduction of various technologies that contribute to reduction of the environmental burden.
The newbuilding bulker is slated for launching on February 25, and will be completed in early May.
Based on a performance comparison between the new ship and a similar vessel completed in February that uses conventional anti-fouling paint, MOL will decide whether to proceed with a full-scale adoption of Intersleek900.
