Hempel launch adopt Selektope® in new outfitting coating

A new outfitting coating utilising the unique antifouling ingredient Selektope® has been brought to market by marine coatings specialist Hempel. This latest coating product launch further confirms the industry’s acceptance of the technology whose powerful bio-repellent action prohibits barnacle fouling.

Selektope® is included in Hempel’s GLOBIC 9500S product as part of a ‘Smart Biocide Package’. The new antifouling was specifically formulated with Selektope® to deliver boosted static performance against hard fouling for idle ships during the outfitting process at shipyards.

The accumulation of biofouling on the ship hull is becoming an increasingly dominant issue for shipyards, particularly those located in warmer waters. Newbuilds that lay idle in warming waters during the outfitting process can suffer the effects of intense fouling which can impact both the newly applied coating and the vessel’s performance after leaving the shipyard. This has resulted in growing demand for antifouling solutions that can ensure static performance during outfitting.

Selektope is an organic, non-metal compound that repels barnacle settlement on ships’ hulls by temporarily stimulating the barnacle larvae’s swimming behavior. It is characterized by high efficacy at extremely low concentrations (0.1% w/w), ultra-low leaching and flexibility to boost copper-based paint formulations or replace copper completely.

Tests have shown that antifouling coatings containing Selektope® offer superior hard fouling protection, resulting in lower water resistance and decreased fuel consumption, in addition to reduced maintenance costs.

Philip Chaabane, CEO I-TECH AB, comments: “As demand for Selektope® soars, the number of antifouling products that contain our unique bio-repellent ingredient is increasing and we are proud that Hempel has selected our technology in response to market demand. It is yet more proof that our product is boosting the performance of sophisticated antifouling systems under harsh fouling conditions, such as those experienced during outfitting. Selektope® is clearly adding value to the products that the major players offer. We recommend specifiers seek to establish what options coatings suppliers have to keep hulls free of hard fouling, and whether they are offering a truly organic alternative that achieves unmatched results.”

With multiple major coatings suppliers now turning to Selektope® to enhance their products, I-Tech AB, the company behind the bio-repellent antifouling, is urging end-users to check whether or not the organic substance is offered within all marine coatings portfolios.