Pacific Basin to apply graphene-based propeller coating across whole fleet

Some 40 Pacific Basin vessels scheduled for dry dock in 2024 will get the XGIT-PROP coating which demonstrated potential vessel performance enhancements of up to 4% in a 2022 trial with Stolt Tankers.

GIT said the initiative was the largest adoption of graphene-based propeller coatings in the dry bulk segment. Pacific Basin owns 116 vessels and operates a total of 266 ships across the handysize and supramax sizes.

Sanjay Relan, the General Manager of Optimisation & Decarbonisation at Pacific Basin said the fleet had since 2007 used silicone paint to maintain performance and reduce the need for polishing, but edge damage meant the coating was being stripped and reapplied every docking.

“By adopting XGIT-PROP hard coating for our entire fleet, we are taking a proactive step towards more sustainable practices. We hope to maintain a damage-free, smooth propeller surface and improve efficiency over longer periods. At a fleet-wide level, we anticipate significant reductions in both environmental impact and operational expenses,” said Relan.

The biocide-free hard foul release coating solves the shortcomings of biocide-based soft foul release coatings which release silicone oils and can peel away from propeller blades, the manufacturer claims.

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GIT said shipowners were using its new coating to help improve CII ratings and improve their vessels’ RightShip GHG ratings.

Maiko Arras, Director of Business Development at GIT Coatings, said: “Collaboration with Pacific Basin marks another important milestone in our growth. While we have established fleet supply agreements with many other shipping companies, Pacific Basin stands out as the largest to fully integrate XGIT-PROP across a fleet of dry bulk vessels. We’re glad to see first movers selecting this innovative yet simple solution to drive the industry towards a sustainable future.”