A Gearbulk-owned supramax bulker, the Penguin Arrow, which was coated with Jotun’s SeaQuantum X200 in 2012 has saved $1.5 million in bunker fuel and 12,055 tonnes of CO2 emissions over a 60 month-period.
As a result of using HPS, Penguin Arrow’s speed loss was reduced to 0.5 percent over the data period, improving from the vessel’s historical speed loss of 6.4 percent and a market average speed loss estimated at 5.9 percent.
The 1997-built ship was equipped with an array of sensors to determine the savings, say Norwegian paint manufacturer Jotun.
The performance monitoring project benefited from access to Penguin Arrow’s historical performance dating back to January 2000, enabling a full comparative analysis of the vessel’s operations with HPS.
Gearbulk have said that these results, for this the first vessel to trial this particular hull coating, have exceeded their expectations, particularly as the vessel experienced conditions that are normally conducive to fouling during the period, including lower than expected operational activity at lower than expected speeds.
Jotun say that the return on investment (ROI) period for SeaQuantum X200 is just one year.
Ship Efficiency Review News
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