Assessment criteria

The award was conceived to celebrate breakthrough innovations at, or approaching, the commercialisation stage. Each nominated service, design, concept or equipment item is assessed by an international expert jury as to its originality; impact on ocean sustainability, logistics, or ship operations; whether it addresses current or anticipated industry challenges; expected benefits; and the application of best practices or ideas from other sectors.

Nominated: Jotun Hull Skating Solutions

Preventing the age-old problem of marine biofouling is becoming increasingly urgent due to its economic and environmental impacts, including the transfer of invasive species between geographies. Frictional drag on hulls also markedly increases fuel consumption and thereby greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.

These factors combined with ever-stricter regulations are expected to drive demand for effective and innovative solutions that can keep fuel costs in check, reduce environmental footprint and minimize the risk of invasive species transfer.

Jotun’s revolutionary Jotun Hull Skating Solutions, developed in partnership with Kongsberg and other technology and industry partners, represents a step-change approach to realising the potential of fouling control and management. This proactive fouling-prevention system can help ship operators combat early-stage fouling to address these issues head-on.

Why is the project unique?

Jotun Hull Skating Solutions represents a radical departure from the typical reactive approach to addressing hull fouling globally. It is much more than simply engineering a new coating, but rather a proactive, integrated fouling-prevention system that combines robotics, big data and paint technology. In addition to a specially developed coating, it comprises the HullSkater, a robotic device for inspection and proactive cleaning installed on the vessel for its sole use, and a proactive condition monitoring service. This uses advanced algorithms to predict the probability of fouling and when to deploy the HullSkater.

“All the components combine to help deliver on the promise ‘always clean hull’, even in the most challenging operations. Jotun has invested a great deal of resources in developing the concept and, together with our industry partners and stakeholders, we believe it has genuine potential to change hull maintenance, cleaning and inspections methods significantly for the better. It’s a ground-breaking approach to in-service hull performance,” says Stein Kjølberg, Global Category Director, Hull Performance, at Jotun.

Emissions in focus

Maritime transport emits around 940 million tonnes of CO₂ every year and is responsible for around 2.5% of global GHG emissions. It has been estimated that if global shipping were a country, it would be the sixth-biggest polluter, generating more emissions than Germany.

“If all vessels in challenging operations – around 40% to 50% of the world fleet – were to convert to using our system, it would result in an emissions reduction of at least 40 million tonnes of CO₂ per year. It’s a potentially huge contribution to solving the biofouling problem and supporting the industry towards a more sustainable future,” Kjølberg concludes.

For more information:

Cecilie Skeie Melberg
Global Communications Manager
Jotun Performance Coatings
Jotun A/S
Mobile: +47 986 11 068
cecilie.skeie.melberg@jotun.com