Selektope, a new antifouling agent developed by the Swedish biotech company I-Tech, has received final sign-off by the European Commission (EC) for use by yards anywhere in Europe.
The first hull coating product that contains this unique biocidal agent will be applied to a vessel in Singapore next month.
What is Selektope?
Selektope is an organic non-metal compound that combats the settling of barnacle larvae by stimulating their octopamine receptor which causes their legs to start kicking, repelling them from the hull of the ship. The product is organic and non-metallic, with a proven efficacy of 0.1% weight/weight. This means that Selektope can be included as a 0.1% constituent of antifouling coatings – This is a fraction of the active substance for compatible to a traditional copper biocide.
What Was The EC Sign Off Process?
Formal EC adoption of the approval regulation was signed by EC President Jean-Claude Juncker, meaning that Selektope is permitted for use under the European Union (EU) Biocidal Products Directive in antifouling products throughout the EU from 1 January 2016.
Is It In Commercial Use Yet?
Yes. The first publicly-disclosed commercial application for a marine coating featuring Selektope will start on November 1 in Singapore when a new copper-free product from Chugoku Marine Paints (CMP) featuring Selektope will be applied to the side-walls of the IMO II tanker Calypso for Swedish operator Laurin Maritime.
What Does I-Tech Say?
“We are delighted to receive sign-off from the EC,” commented Philip Chaabane, Managing Director, I-Tech. “Now all antifouling coatings suppliers are at liberty to offer innovation by deploying Selektope, safe in the knowledge that they are fully approved in Japan, Korea, China and Europe.”
What Does The Industry Say?
Mikael Laurin, Chief Executive Officer, Laurin Maritime, said: “We first took note of Selektope in 2010. Antifouling coatings have a major impact on fuel efficiency. Our ships operate in South East Asia and South America; port congestion can lead to vessels idling in tropical waters, bringing heavy fouling.”
“I-Tech’s technology represents a major step in delivering an antifouling that performs the way we want, comparable to the performance achieved by antifouling coatings before the TBT ban in 2002,”
Masaya Hata, CMP General Manager (Sales), commented: “The extensive test applications we have made including Selektope have led us to plan for this coating to perform as a five-year period antifouling coating. We are convinced that our customers will save fuel using this coating; our plan is to evaluate performance on a working ship and position the new antifouling coating in the market over the coming three years.”
