A partner's perspective: Kongsberg Maritime
Viewpoint by Egil Haugsdal, President Kongsberg Maritime, one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced electronics to the shipping industry.
A partner's perspective: DNV
Viewpoint by Head of maritime technical advisory and project sponsor Ellen Olsvik and Sarath Raj, principal consultant and project manager at DNV, a global quality assurance and risk management company serving the maritime industry.
What is DNV’s role in the development of Jotun Hull Skating Solutions?
The focus of the project work done by DNV’s Maritime Advisory Unit has been on the risk management of the solution, covering equipment, the installation on and integration into the vessel, and operational aspects related to safety, environment and security. The tasks were carried out in close collaboration with Jotun, system suppliers and the engagement of relevant stakeholders.
Our work is structured as performing a technology qualification according to the DNV Recommended Practice for Technology Qualification (RP A-203), as the international regulations related to this solution are few. Up to now, New Zealand, Australia and the US have released standards and guidelines and are implementing measures to control the transfer of indigenous species. The EU is also running projects on this hot topic, but no regulations have yet entered into force.
As part of the Technology Qualification (TQ) process, risk workshops were carried out with main stakeholders. The purpose of these workshops was to evaluate the risk and establish mitigating actions showing that the solution is safe, secure and environmentally friendly. The resulting documentation, which aims to ensure transparency among external stakeholders, is instrumental in facilitating acceptance of the hull being cleaned at anchorage or in port.
As the solution is now entering the commercial piloting phase, DNV will be contributing to the validation and risk management of the full-scale solution.
Why is this important for DNV?
Driven by its purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV enables its customers to advance the safety and sustainability of their business while managing the risks.
From an environmental aspect, DNV is also doing research to find solid decarbonisation solutions, which are the concern of the entire maritime sector these days. The recently published Maritime Forecast to 2050 Report provides a model for evaluating fuel and technology options by comparing the break-even costs of a design to those of the competing fleet of ships. This model aims to support maritime stakeholders in evaluating the long-term competitiveness of their vessels and fleet and in future-proofing their assets.
When it comes to biofouling, research shows that the accumulation of fouling over time leads to significant performance drop and an increase in vessel fuel consumption and environmental footprint. Jotun Hull Skating Solutions is one solution that sets out to contribute to cleaner hulls and reduced fuel consumption and may also change the way we think about painting and cleaning, with reduced docking costs. The industry needs new, innovative ways to tackle the global biofouling issue and meet performance and regulatory requirements going forward.
From our side, it is important for DNV to be an active partner in managing the risk, when companies are developing, piloting and providing solutions, such as Jotun Hull Skating Solutions, and providing them to the shipping community. We provide increased trust in the solution to the partners and other stakeholders. The risk management and TQ processes are important for convincing ship charterers, ship owners, ports and local authorities that it is safe, secure and environmentally friendly to carry out in-water cleaning in ports with the given concept.
Any challenges during the development phase?
We encountered some challenges which are not unusual when assessing new technologies. Still, these were solved by involving different discipline experts in the DNV network, working together with the Jotun project group. The challenges were mostly to do with design criteria that had to meet environmental regulations, ship compatibility, minimal interference with shipboard operations, etc.
Can Jotun Hull Skating Solutions help address the global biofouling issue?
Biofouling is a pressing industry issue. It increases ship hull resistance and decreases propeller efficiency leading to higher fuel consumption and associated emissions to air. The prevention of biofouling, therefore, remains critical to sustainable operations. The exact savings from implementing Jotun Hull Skating Solutions are difficult to validate at this early stage as it’s not yet fully commercialised, but better management of hull and propeller surfaces will contribute to reduced fuel consumption and lower GHG emissions.
In addition, ports, local and global authorities are more and more concerned about transfer of indigenous species and release of toxic waste from hull cleaning. International regulations that are forthcoming have been evaluated, and Jotun Hull Skating Solutions may be an answer to these challenges and help create a win-win situation for both the environment and business.
Certainly, there is significant scope to raise hull performance efficiency by maintaining a consistently clean hull through proactive cleaning and inspection technology.
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