Dynamic antifouling from Hempel lowers fuel consumption on Lemissoller's supramax bulk carriers

The combination of Hempel’s Dynamic antifouling and an advanced hull and propeller design has proven to reduce fuel consumption and associated CO₂ emissions on Lemisoller’s supramax bulk carriers by 7%. Lemissoller is a diversified shipping group based in Cyprus and it is strongly committed to reducing its impact on the environment. When the company commissioned eight newbuild supramax bulk carriers, it was keen to do as much as possible to optimise fuel consumption and associated CO₂ emissions. The new vessels’ design lines and propeller technology were designed for fuel efficiency but Lemissoller needed a reliable high-performance antifouling hull coating to complete the puzzle. After close consultation with Hempel’s technical service team, the company chose Dynamic.

Before taking over the vessels, Lemisoller ran sea trials on four vessels in the South China Sea.

The vessels’ expected fuel consumption was 24.7 megatons per day at 14.2 knots. But, this calculation was based on a standard antifouling coating and propeller design. Thanks to the combination of Dynamic and the advanced hull and propeller design, all four vessels recorded average fuel consumption under different loads of 23 megatons a day at 14.2 knots during the trials – a 7% reduction in fuel consumption and associated emissions.

Dimitris Solomonides, Technical Manager at Lemissoller Group, commented: "We are pleased to report that Hempel’s Dynamic antifouling hull coating offers significant fuel savings compared to conventional antifoulings. Together with the new vessels’ design and lines, as well as the propeller, Dynamic contributed to favourable results in sea trials.”

Dynamic antifouling hull coatings have proven over many years to deliver reliable performance and a high return on investment. Based on advanced silylated acrylate technology, Dynamic coatings deliver exceptionally low leach layers and best-in-class biocides to ensure high performance across the entire service interval. The Dynamic range includes a number of products with different polishing rates. They can be specified for a wide range of vessels and for service intervals up to 90 months.