Barnacle free with Selektope® after 63 months of global trading

Barnacle-free after 5 years in operation, thanks to Selektope®

After 5 years of operation, the first ship fully coated with a Selektope-containing antifouling paint went in for regular maintenance at a Chinese shipyard. The hull was completely free of barnacles, this after the ship both sailed and laid at anchor in high-risk areas for hard fouling and the growth of barnacles.

Thanks to Selektope in the antifouling paint, the vessel’s hull has received outstanding protection against barnacles, even at anchor and low speeds (below 6 knots) in biofouling ´hotspots´ with high water temperatures.

In November 2015, the vertical sides and bottom of the tanker hull were painted with a 60-month Selektope-containing and copper-free antifouling product at the Sembcorp shipyard in Singapore.

Thereafter, the vessel was in active operation over a wide range of global routes for a period of 63 months. The vessel has frequently sailed in high-risk areas for marine growth. It has also spent long periods at anchor in these zones, generating an extremely high risk of hard marine fouling by barnacles, whose larvae find the hull of a ship prime settlement when vessels are at anchor or moving at slow speeds (up to 6 knots).

With only minor growth of barnacles on the hull, the friction against water will increase and negatively affect the ship’s fuel consumption, or if the vessel runs on a fixed shaft power, the fouled hull will result in speed loss.

To confirm the efficacy of antifouling agent Selektope, Molflow’s AI-ship modelling tool “Slipstream” was used to analyse Calypso´s hull performance. This analysis shows that the average yearly speed loss, while in service protected by a Selektope containing paint, was smaller than 0.5% (0.06 kn), The speed loss analysis confirms exceptional performance of the hull through water.

During most of its operation, Calypso was operated by Team Tankers who has reaped the benefits of the high performing antifouling coating.

Capt. Pär Brandholm, Senior Performance & Technical Manager at Team Tankers International comments on the benefits of using a high perfoming antifouling coating containing Selektope: 
“After operating predominantly in tropical and sub-tropical regions, the fact that that the average weighted speed loss is significantly lower than for other vessels in our fleet, is hugely impressive – and will have a tangible impact on fuel costs and emissions. We encourage all owners and operators to remain proactive in avoiding the performance penalties created by hard fouling and assess their operating profile, performance data and consider whether the antifouling technology mix within their coatings will provide adequate protection.” 

I-Tech’s CEO, Philip Chaabane, comments on Team Calypso’s strong results.
”Despite the fact that Team Calypso has been active in the harshest conditions for marine fouling for the past 63 months, data on the ship’s sustained performance show that the Selektope-containing antifouling paint has helped maintain the ship’s efficiency. The owner of this tanker has reaped the benefits from the fuel savings that can be associated with the power of Selektope’s ability to protect the hull from barnacles. Data analysis and inspections of the hull provide strong evidence that proves Selektope’s high-performance protection against hard marine fouling, regardless of the ship’s activity or movement patterns.”

The ship’s hull was never cleaned during the promised service life of the paint technology, neither mechanically nor with divers. In addition, Calypso laid at anchor off the coast of China for 1 month before dry docking. During this month, the hull was exposed to a very high risk of hard marine fouling.

When the ship was taken to dry dock and inspected in February 2021, after 63 months of operation, the hull’s paint showed a normal amount of wear but there was no growth of barnacles.