Kerry Pianoforte, Editor 09.20.17
AkzoNobel recently partnered with The Ocean Cleanup for the what is considered the largest clean-up in history. The partnership involves AkzoNobel providing biocide-free coatings technology for all the devices and equipment used by The Ocean Cleanup for the next five years.
The partnership represents a major contribution to the organization's landmark efforts to clear plastic from ceans. The cleaning is due to begin in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the next 12 months.
Founded in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the space of just five years. It employs U-shaped screens to channel floating plastic to a central point. The concentrated plastic can then be extracted and shipped to shore for recycling into durable products.
Coatings World recently had a chance to interview Oscar Wezenbeek, MD, AkzoNobel Marine Coatings
• How did AkzoNobel partner up with The Ocean Cleanup project?
Our values are very similar to those of The Ocean Cleanup and we both thrive for a more sustainable future and are driven by innovation. AkzoNobel has the history of being a pioneer of sustainability and innovation for coatings in the marine industry. Under the International brand, AkzoNobel Marine Coatings was the first to develop self-polishing copolymers (SPC), the first to abandon Tributyltin (TBT) biocidal antifouling coatings, the first to launch biocide-free antifouling Intersleek, and the first to be awarded carbon credits in the marine industry to support the sale of sustainable technology.
We have mutual concerns regarding the health of the world’s oceans, so it is only natural that we have offered our solutions for tackling the one of the biggest challenges on the Earth.
• What is the goal of the partnership? What role does AkzoNobel play in this?
The goal of this partnership is to help turn the tide on marine pollution. The complete removal of trash from the world’s oceans has moved a step closer after AkzoNobel joined forces with The Ocean Cleanup.
Ocean pollution is a serious global issue impacting our society and our planet’s future. As a world leader in the marine coatings industry, we believe we can make a meaningful contribution to overcoming the problem by taking action and supporting the fantastic work being done by The Ocean Cleanup.
As a part of this partnership, marine coating solutions from our award-winning Intersleek product range will be provided to The Ocean Cleanup for the floating devices used to clean the oceans for the next five years. The most high profile use of our coatings will be on the specially designed floating clean-up system which will collect the ocean waste.
• Please describe the benefits of using the Intersleek line?
Shipping is by far the world’s most efficient form of transport but, because more than 85 percent of the world’s traded goods travel by sea, it still has a major environmental impact. Shipping is a big sector; the approximately 100,000 ships account for 3% of greenhouse gas emissions.
For 135 years, AkzoNobel’s marine brand International has been leading in the area of sustainability and innovation. AkzoNobel is committed to undertake tangible actions towards lowering carbon emissions of the world’s shipping fleets, reducing emissions of biocides, and removing plastic from the world’s oceans as a part of its landmark initiative called sustainable shipping.
Intersleek, part of the comprehensive International product range and launched in 1996, is the industry’s first biocide-free foul-release technology. Twenty-one years later, it now has more than 5,500 applications, has helped save over $3 billion in fuel costs and 32 million tons of CO2. This biocide-free Intersleek range is already being used to help make the shipping industry more sustainable by reducing fuel consumption, cutting emissions and lowering the costs of operation. Now the very same Intersleek range will be put into action around the world’s oceans when the cleaning of the history’s biggest clean up begins.
Intersleek 1100SR, the ground-breaking innovation which delivers outstanding macro and micro fouling control with improved static resistance, even in warm waters and is suitable for slow steaming. It allows ship owners and operators to maintain performance throughout the full docking cycle for all commercial vessels. The key benefits of this technology include independently verified fuel and emissions savings of up to nine percent. This also means that there is up to nine percent reduction in CO2 emissions.
In addition, Intersleek is biocide-free, which results in no leaching of biocides into the sea. This offers cost advantages at the next drydocking on waste treatment and disposal, plus enhanced environmental profile. Intersleek also has higher volume solids and lower required film thickness than SPC systems. Only a single full coat is required every five years through a vessels lifetime, therefore paint consumption is significantly reduced – further enhancing customer’s environmental profile.
As a result of the reduction of environmental impact, ship owners can earn valuable carbon credits On top of the substantial fuel savings, conversion to Intersleek coatings also makes the vessel to generate carbon credits
The partnership represents a major contribution to the organization's landmark efforts to clear plastic from ceans. The cleaning is due to begin in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the next 12 months.
Founded in 2013, The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the space of just five years. It employs U-shaped screens to channel floating plastic to a central point. The concentrated plastic can then be extracted and shipped to shore for recycling into durable products.
• How did AkzoNobel partner up with The Ocean Cleanup project?
Our values are very similar to those of The Ocean Cleanup and we both thrive for a more sustainable future and are driven by innovation. AkzoNobel has the history of being a pioneer of sustainability and innovation for coatings in the marine industry. Under the International brand, AkzoNobel Marine Coatings was the first to develop self-polishing copolymers (SPC), the first to abandon Tributyltin (TBT) biocidal antifouling coatings, the first to launch biocide-free antifouling Intersleek, and the first to be awarded carbon credits in the marine industry to support the sale of sustainable technology.
We have mutual concerns regarding the health of the world’s oceans, so it is only natural that we have offered our solutions for tackling the one of the biggest challenges on the Earth.
• What is the goal of the partnership? What role does AkzoNobel play in this?
The goal of this partnership is to help turn the tide on marine pollution. The complete removal of trash from the world’s oceans has moved a step closer after AkzoNobel joined forces with The Ocean Cleanup.
Ocean pollution is a serious global issue impacting our society and our planet’s future. As a world leader in the marine coatings industry, we believe we can make a meaningful contribution to overcoming the problem by taking action and supporting the fantastic work being done by The Ocean Cleanup.
As a part of this partnership, marine coating solutions from our award-winning Intersleek product range will be provided to The Ocean Cleanup for the floating devices used to clean the oceans for the next five years. The most high profile use of our coatings will be on the specially designed floating clean-up system which will collect the ocean waste.
• Please describe the benefits of using the Intersleek line?
Shipping is by far the world’s most efficient form of transport but, because more than 85 percent of the world’s traded goods travel by sea, it still has a major environmental impact. Shipping is a big sector; the approximately 100,000 ships account for 3% of greenhouse gas emissions.
For 135 years, AkzoNobel’s marine brand International has been leading in the area of sustainability and innovation. AkzoNobel is committed to undertake tangible actions towards lowering carbon emissions of the world’s shipping fleets, reducing emissions of biocides, and removing plastic from the world’s oceans as a part of its landmark initiative called sustainable shipping.
Intersleek, part of the comprehensive International product range and launched in 1996, is the industry’s first biocide-free foul-release technology. Twenty-one years later, it now has more than 5,500 applications, has helped save over $3 billion in fuel costs and 32 million tons of CO2. This biocide-free Intersleek range is already being used to help make the shipping industry more sustainable by reducing fuel consumption, cutting emissions and lowering the costs of operation. Now the very same Intersleek range will be put into action around the world’s oceans when the cleaning of the history’s biggest clean up begins.
Intersleek 1100SR, the ground-breaking innovation which delivers outstanding macro and micro fouling control with improved static resistance, even in warm waters and is suitable for slow steaming. It allows ship owners and operators to maintain performance throughout the full docking cycle for all commercial vessels. The key benefits of this technology include independently verified fuel and emissions savings of up to nine percent. This also means that there is up to nine percent reduction in CO2 emissions.
In addition, Intersleek is biocide-free, which results in no leaching of biocides into the sea. This offers cost advantages at the next drydocking on waste treatment and disposal, plus enhanced environmental profile. Intersleek also has higher volume solids and lower required film thickness than SPC systems. Only a single full coat is required every five years through a vessels lifetime, therefore paint consumption is significantly reduced – further enhancing customer’s environmental profile.
As a result of the reduction of environmental impact, ship owners can earn valuable carbon credits On top of the substantial fuel savings, conversion to Intersleek coatings also makes the vessel to generate carbon credits
