Maersk has become the latest shipowner to trial the air lubrication system developed by Silverstream Technologies.
The Danish ship owning giant will fit the technology on an unnamed large container vessel, said Wartsila, which is a sales-and-service partner for the system.
The study will examine possible improvements to the ship’s overall efficiency, focusing on reducing fuel consumption and associated emission levels.
The technology has been independently proven to save between 5% and 10% of fuel and emissions, depending on ship type.
For newbuild vessels, air lubrication can "notably improve" compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index, according to Wartsila.
The Wartsila/Silverstream equipment will be delivered during the second quarter of next year.
Wartsila said the programme will have a special emphasis on the potential application of the system for methanol-fuelled Maersk vessels.
In late August, Maersk ordered up to 12 methanol-fuelled containerships of 16,000 teu at Hyundai Heavy Industries. It also has a 2,100-teu dual-fuel boxship on order at South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.
Carpet of microbubbles
Silverstream’s air lubrication system creates a carpet of microbubbles that coat the flat bottom of the vessel reducing frictional resistance between the hull and the water.
The company says the technology works in "all maritime conditions", is not weather dependent and does not constrain or negatively impact the normal operational profile of the vessel.
In late September, Maersk rival Mediterranean Shipping Co awarded Silverstream Technologies a contract to supply 30 of the air lubrication system for the large containership newbuildings it has on order.
MSC expects the systems to make an estimated fuel saving of $302m (€257.5m) and cut carbon emissions by 1.6m tonnes over the lifetime of the ships.
Vessels on which the systems will be installed are expected to be delivered from shipyards in Asia between 2022 and 2024 for employment on the trade lanes between Asia and Europe.
A system was recently fitted to the 325,000-dwt VLOC Sea Victoria (built 2021) — operated by Brazilian mining giant Vale — that is now undergoing a one-year verification period.
Silverstream recently told TradeWinds that its ambition is that air lubrication technology should become standard for all newbuildings, and that it hopes for conversions on existing vessels in the range of 50 to 100 ships over the next five years.
