Data matters

It is widely known that premium hull coatings can make a significant difference to improving efficiency. For centuries, coverings and coatings have been applied to the hull of a commercial vessel to reduce the impact of corrosion and marine fouling to reduce a variety of operational losses for their owners and operators. Biofouling is the accumulation of marine organisms on a ship’s hull and the frictional resistance caused by this correlates directly with increased drag, reduced hydrodynamic performance and, as a consequence, increased fuel consumption. The intensity of fouling is dependent on a range of factors including the water temperature, nutrients, light and the vessel’s speed. It makes sense to apply a coating that is specified to the operational and environmental conditions of each individual vessel.  

Maximising efficiency with numbers

In order to understand a vessel’s performance and for a coating to deliver tangible returns it is important to be able to measure operating results in a verifiable and standardised way. In 2016, the International Standards Organization (ISO) did just that with the introduction of ‘ISO 19030 - Ships and marine technology – Measurement of changes in hull and propeller performance’. This standard enables shipowners and operators to compare their hull and propeller solutions with simple and transparent data.

The ISO 19030 standard guides the use of sensors to measure changes in the condition of underwater hull and propellers and the resulting frictional resistance displayed over their lifespan. Using this information, the standard then sets out the performance indicators for hull and propeller maintenance, repair and retrofit activities. However, when it was launched, only 15 per cent of the global fleet was able to meet the requirements of the ISO 19030 standard. As a result, worldwide coatings manufacturer Hempel took the basic principles of the standard and developed them to create its own hull performance system - SHAPE (Systems for Hull and Propeller Efficiency) - offering customers a tailored hull performance package, supported by a dedicated Hempel performance analyst.

A step by step process

The detailed process of SHAPE monitors long-term changes in a vessel’s hull performance that results from a number of factors, including fouling. There are six key stages involved. First, the vessel’s speed power reference curves are established. Next, in-service data is collected, cleansed and purified to eliminate extreme operating conditions and the effects of environmental factors. From this, precise speed loss calculations are undertaken – this is critical to understand vessel performance and fuel efficiency as power increases and speed loss are directly related. From this, four KPIs are calculated which are dry docking performance; in service performance; maintenance trigger; and maintenance effect.

This comprehensive process provides Hempel’s experts with the data required to provide solid advice to the shipowner on how they might improve their fuel efficiency by making data-driven decisions. By combining the SHAPE system with Hempel’s coatings, shipowners are then armed with the right tools to maximise both the hull efficiency of their vessels and their return on investment.

SHAPE at a glance:

Learn more about SHAPE