Preventing marine growth – The anti-fouling alternative and the answer of cutting emissions

With the rising awareness of ‘Green Shipping’ and the growing concern for the spreading of invasive species lodged on the vessels, there is an alternative to coating with toxins or metals. The labor and cost intensive cleanings procedures for sea chests, coolers, heat exchangers, freshwater generators, propellers and hulls can be replaced by new and improved technology.

Not only will the technology improve the environmental impact of shipping, but it will also save fuel and enhance performance of the vessels.

In Kiel, Germany HASYTEC Electronics GmbH have for the last years been working on improving their Dynamic Biofilm Protection (DBP) system.

The DBP system is based on ultrasound that is being transmitted by the so-called transducers that are placed on the equipment or components that you wish to protect.

Once installed all that is required is constant power connection. There is no need for maintenance or service, and the life expectancy of the system is 15 to 20 years.

Recently HASYTEC made a video showing a docking of the German general cargo vessel Maureen S. The vessel was docked at Søby yard in Denmark and the video shows a vessel just out of the water, and with a hull totally free of any growth whatsoever.

The vessel was fitted with the DBP Hull Protection in late summer of 2018 and has since then been trading in the North and Baltic seas.
The upper hull was painted with an ice class coating and the bottom part with a biozid free primer, and nothing else.
To evaluate the system the vessel was docked and HASYTEC Electronics GmbH made a short video of the vessel shortly after entering the dock.

As expected, the vessel was totally free of any growth, where she would normally be covered with microorganisms, algae and larvae after 13 months of trading.

The growth is as all owners and operators know, a source of constant worry. Not only will a covered propeller and hull cost you fuel and reduce your speed, overgrown coolers may reduce the efficiency of the engines and ultimately cause breakdowns.

As if that was not enough the environmental requirements are now growing. The ballast water is now being cleaned, but a vessel arrives in a new area with millions of organisms attached to the propeller, hull and in sea chests.

There are now measures being taken by local and national governments to reduce this import of invasive species. New Zealand has as the first country introduced legislation to regulate this area. The government of Australia and the local authorities in Hawaii and California are now also among the ‘first movers’ and are working on regulations.

Even the cleaning is no longer simple, many ports are now requiring that the removed material is being collected and destroyed. This is adding to the cost and duration of the cleaning procedure.

The use of copper anodes in sea chest, toxins in paint and chemicals used for cleaning are being deposited in our oceans, and while many ship owners are focusing on CO2 impact, this is certainly a factor that should be included in the sustainability discussion.

The HASYTEC sales organization is working worldwide, either directly from Germany, or through dealers and distributors with ship owners, shipyards, ship designers offering their system, either as new building component or as retro fit.

Below you can see the video which we produced.

Source: HASYTEC