I-Tech AB receives US$6.4M from Chugoku Marine Paints for Selektope powered coatings

Swedish biotechnology company, I-Tech AB, developers of active antifouling agent Selektope, is pleased to announce it has formally received a frame order from Japanese paint manufacturer, Chugoku Marine Paints.

Chugoku Marine Paints placed the order as a measure to secure supply in the expansion of existing and newly introduced fuel-saving antifouling products around the world. The SEK53M (US$6.4M) order comes a few short months after CMP announced it was extending its range of Selektope®-powered antifouling coatings, integrating Selektope® into two new antifouling paint products designed for coastal vessels and in one new antifouling paint product developed specifically for the Japanese leisure boat market.

Primarily due to its warm temperatures, Japan’s surrounding waters are classed as high-risk biofouling ‘hotspots’, hosting large volumes of biofouling species such as barnacles. With water temperatures rising globally, these so-called biofouling ‘hotspots’ are set to expand.

Addressing biofouling and hard fouling is a crucial step to achieving the IMO’s emissions reductions targets of 2030. Hard fouling is a leading cause of hydrodynamic drag across vessels — higher friction between the hull and water leads to increased fuel consumption and therefore, GHG emissions.

I-Tech CEO Philip Chaabane commented: "I am very pleased that existing and new Selektope®-containing products translates into this new frame order. The order re-confirms our belief that CMP has ambitious targets to stay ahead and respond to end-users’ growing interest in optimising every aspect of the vessel operations. Most importantly, it’s about saving fuel and reducing emissions to air. By working in partnership with innovative companies like CMP, we are realising the potential of Selektope® to fight barnacle fouling across all sectors of the maritime industry, and making it accessible to more users than ever before.”

Selektope® is an organic, non-metal active agent that is relatively unique compared to traditional biocides currently used in many marine paints. This is because while other active agents often terminate barnacles and other species, Selektope® has a repelling mode of action preventing barnacle larvae from being able to settle on a vessel hull.

When used in antifouling paints, Selektope® can protect all ship types when idle or operating at low speeds for extended periods of time, even in extreme barnacle fouling risk areas, such as those outside the coast of Japan. As such, antifouling coatings with Selektope® confer relative peace of mind to ship owners and operators that their ships will remain barnacle free.

Chugoku Marine Paints launched its first Selektope®-powered marine paint in 2015 as a pioneering outfitting paint developed to sustain extreme static exposure to marine biofouling. With more than 10 Selektope-containing products, CMP now offers one of the largest portfolios of coatings containing the active agent on the market. Deliveries of the orders are set to begin later this year.