Grimaldi bets on air lubrication systems to cut emissions and fuel costs

Italian shipping company Grimaldi Group has selected to install UK-based Silverstream Technologies’ air lubrication systems on five of its vessels to reduce emissions and fuel costs.

PHOTO: Grimaldi Group vessel at sea. Silverstream Technologies

An air lubrication system is a process to reduce the resistance between the ship’s hull and seawater using air bubbles. Silverstream Technologies’ air lubrication system, the Silverstream System, uses air from air release units (ARUs) in the hull to generate air bubbles and pass them continuously beneath the ship’s surface, forming a coat of air that reduces friction significantly. This results in lower fuel consumption and emissions.

The system will be installed on five of Grimaldi Group’s Pure Car Truck Carriers (PCTCs) on order at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu), with the option of extending to five more vessels in the future.

The move will mark the system’s first installation on PCTCs, but it is already operational on 12 Grimaldi Group’s existing vessels plus two roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) newbuilds.

Silverstream Technologies claims that the technology can reduce net fuel consumption and emissions by 5-10%.

Ship operators have been increasingly exploring and adopting new technologies to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions to attain net zero.

By Tuhin Roy

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