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Hempel introduces new peak performance coating

HEMPEL Hempaguard MaX
Hempel announces that it is rolling out its most efficient antifouling coating to date, Hempaguard MaX, an enhanced version of Hempaguard X7 first introduced in 2013.

Hempaguard MaX offers greater fuel efficiency with a maximum guaranteed speed loss of 1.2% over five years, detailed company officials during a launch event in London yesterday.

Efficiency of application is an additional advantage with a condensed three-coat process – of a self-levelling primer, Nexus II link coat and Hempaguard X8 topcoat – said to save up to two days’ time in dock.

Hempaguard MaX also offers operational flexibility as it is suitable for all trading areas and operating profiles with claimed 14% fuel savings over traditional hull coatings, some 2% more than Hempaguard X7. It continues Hempaguard’s use of very low levels of biocides, only with an even more efficient delivery system, and also comes with “the longest idle time antifouling guarantee in the market” of 120 days.

The Hempaguard brand is already well established in the market having been applied to over 1,500 vessels since 2013, Hempel officials said, saving more than 10m tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The improved version has been developed in response to client concern over unpredictable bunker fuel price and availability when the IMO 2020 global sulphur cap is introduced, they explained, as well as a desire to improve drydocking efficiency and reduce commercial downtime.

Hempel currently has 28 factories around the world, 150+ stock points and 15 R&D centres, with an additional one now being built at the company’s HQ in Copenhagen which will employ a team of 100 scientists.