Euronav has made an agreement with Hempel to apply Hempasil, the company’s silicone fouling release system, to its two ultra-large crude carriers, the TI Asia and the TI Europe. The 380-meter tankers, which have a deadweight tonnage of more than 440,000 tons, will drydock for maintenance and survey later this year.  

Hempel has worked closely with Euronav, an integrated tanker company which owns and manages a fleet of 36 crude oil tankers, to achieve this partnership. The Hempasil specification is guaranteed for five years and has a potential lifetime of a further five years, according to the company.

Hempasil is a silicone-based topcoat with outstanding adhesion properties incorporating Nexus tiecoat technology, which ensures a chemical bond between the epoxy anticorrosion layer and the silicone-based topcoat.

“This Nexus tiecoat is the key to achieving the excellent adhesion performance, which resists even strong abrasion,” said Hempel’s Torben Rasmussen, product manager, group marine marketing.

“Minimizing maintenance as well as maintaining a smooth hull during the entire service period is vital for efficient operation of our vessels, and a silicone fouling release product helps us to achieve this,” added Paul Moeyaert, general manager, Euronav ship management. “We also believe that the smoother topcoat should give us a reduction in fuel consumption and therefore reduce carbon emissions. This will also help us reduce the amount of biocides released into the sea, making our operations even more environmentally friendly.”   

Hempel’s own studies show that the reduced drag from Hempasil can deliver substantial fuel savings compared with premium tin-free antifoulings.

“By blasting back to bare metal and applying a high-quality anticorrosive coating system, we can extend the lifetime of the Hempasil system,” said Rasmussen. “When the initial service time of five years has passed, the fouling release performance can be brought back to standard and reactivated by applying a fresh layer of topcoat.”

The TI ASIA will drydock in Dubai where a full Hempasil system will be applied.