Press Release: Pioneering clean technology company Silverstream Technologies and design and engineering consultancy Houlder have signed a framework agreement which formalises their relationship and supports the shipping industry’s ongoing transition to a zero carbon future.
Silverstream is collaborating with Houlder on design and integration procedures for both newbuild and retrofit installations of Silverstream’s pioneering air lubrication system, the Silverstream® System.
With demand growing for clean technology, the agreement will help to accelerate the deployment of the Silverstream® System and provide ship owners and operators with Silverstream’s cutting-edge innovation, as well as Houlder’s 30-year pedigree of marine design and engineering expertise.
The relationship builds upon the engineering excellence established by the Silverstream team and supports the organisation’s strategic aim for continuous improvement and innovation to maintain market leadership.
The move follows a period of strong growth for the clean technology firm, with six new team members joining with a range of engineering, naval architecture, and automation expertise. This reflects the industry’s growth in interest in the System, and its changing view of clean technologies as a whole.
Under the agreement, Houlder’s marine engineering experts will complement Silverstream’s in-house teams to produce detailed information that supports the naval architecture and any required class approvals of the technology for specific vessel projects.
Silverstream has worked tirelessly since 2010 to create a truly market-leading technology for the shipping industry, including sea trials and validity testing with industry partners such as Lloyd’s Register, Shell, Carnival and HVSA, which culminated in the first commercial orders in 2017 and a strong commercial pipeline since.
Speaking on the collaboration Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, commented: “Shipping’s challenges require bold solutions, and by working with the best partners to help the industry improve its efficiency standards and sustainability, Silverstream wants to have a positive impact and promote radical innovation and design as the new normal.
“The last year has been marked by a dramatic increase in demand for clean technologies, including the Silverstream® System. This agreement with Houlder therefore gives us the assurance that we will be able to support every owner and operator that is interested in our solution, through the addition of extra capacity and engineering expertise that Houlder’s teams of respected experts will provide .”
Rupert Hare, CEO, Houlder, added: “As the incentive to decarbonise and integrate environmental and social governance into business practices gathers pace, so too does the adoption of new and emerging technology. With so many new products and propositions continuously entering the market, technology providers like Silverstream, with proven, impactful systems, can face a difficult task in convincing customers that their innovations will perform as promised within the technical and operational specifications of the customer’s assets and trading profile.
“Underestimating the value of interfacing and design detailing at this crucial point can be a considerable setback – if the technology is not properly engineered and integrated, the achievable returns can be compromised. Our independent consultancy, combined with many years’ experience in ship design and engineering, enables us to support the effective installation of new systems, bridging between the technology provider and ship owner / operator to realise the best results for both of them.”
Houlder is ideally placed to support its clients and partners in managing upcoming environmental and operational change, with an 80-strong team of experts who understand the full lifecycle of assets. Houlder recognises the importance of understanding how they are designed, built, modified, managed, decommissioned and recycled – particularly when considering transforming operating environments and their impacts on existing assets, and the changes that are needed to the traditional design concepts for new assets.
