International Paint Korea has celebrated its 100th Intersleek application in the ship repair sector to a Korean flagged ship – the 138,000m3 LNG carrier ‘SK Splendor’, coated at a Singaporean shipyard for SK Shipping Co Ltd.
In addition to the 100 applications, which include, amongst others, 44 container ships, 17 gas carriers, 16 purse seiners, nine ferries, five RoRo vessels and four bulk carriers, there have also been more than 70 applications of Intersleek foul release technology in the Korean new building market.
Since its first Korean application in 2005, Intersleek has achieved considerable success with a range of customers, including Hanjin Shipping, Hyundai Merchant Marine, STX Pan Ocean, Korea Line Co, Korea Marine Transport, Cido Shipping, Dongwon Industries, Silla Co, Weidong Ferry and Chonghaejin Marine Co. As high oil prices and tight operating margins continue to impact vessel profitability, the coating’s potential efficiency benefits, including average fuel savings of up to 9%, become even more significant to owners and operators.
Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) is a case in point, with 17 of the 20 LNG carriers it charters coated with Intersleek and the rest to be coated at their next drydocking. Operating in high sea-water temperatures and at varying activity levels, these vessels are particularly prone to fouling. Thanks to Intersleek, KOGAS has not only cut its fuel consumption but has also seen a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions.
