The self-polishing copolymer antifouling solution developed by Nippon Paint Marine has been successfully applied on the hulls of KSS Line’s LPG carriers.
The South Korean shipowner KSS Line has announced that it has successfully applied the novel nano-type antifouling coating FASTAR® I, developed by Nippon Paint Marine, to the hulls of two LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carriers.
FASTAR I is a two-coat, self-polishing copolymer antifouling paint that employs hydrophilic and hydrophobic nano-sized silyl acrylate components to precisely control the release of biocides.
It is the first time that time that the coating has been applied on an LPG carrier. In both cases, it replaced the A-LF-Sea® 150 product of Nippon Paint Marine on the vessels’ flat bottom and vertical sides. The company will also provide more coating to KKS Line, that will be applied during scheduled drydockings at the end of 2022.
“We originally specified A-LF-Sea recoats for these vessels but when we heard about FASTAR’s short curing time and fuel saving performance we decided to change the coating specification during their scheduled drydockings. Drying time was faster than we expected – a critical factor in a successful drydocking. After the Gas Star application, we found energy efficiency had improved so opted to apply the coating to Gas Power,” stated Seo Young-Joon, Head of the Marine Affairs Division at KSS Line.
“KSS Line’s decision to move from our established A-LF-Sea range is indicative of the fuel saving quality of this low-polishing high-performing antifouling system. With FASTAR, shipowners are benefitting from a tomorrow technology today,” added Ryan J. K. Kim, the general manager of Nippon Paint Marine – South Korea. “This new approach delivers the ultimate in fouling protection. Since the release of active biocide ions are more precisely controlled with FASTAR, shipowners benefit from consistent 60-month antifouling performance from reduced coating volume [film thickness]. The hull is cleaner for longer, which means reduced drag, less fuel and fewer emissions.”
Nippon Paint Marine will showcase the FASTAR range during the Posidonia trade show, that will take place from 6th to 10th June 2022 at the Metropolitan Expo in Athens. The company will be at Booth 2.118.