Wärtsilä And Silverstream To Collaborate On Accelerating Deployment Of Air Lubrication Technology
A Licence and Co-operation Agreement will be signed by Wärtsilä which is a leading technology group and Silverstream Technologies, one of the major air lubrication solution provider for future sales and servicing of the Silverstream System. By being an authorized sales and service partner, Wärtsilä aims to bring together the air lubrication system of Silverstream in its propulsion solutions.
My making the Silverstream System a key part of the propulsion solution for the newbuild ships of Wärtsilä, it will comply better with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI). According to the agreement, for the retrofit installation of the Silverstream System on the already present vessels for which Wärtsilä is a primary service provider, the Silverstream System will be be available also through the sales channel of Wärtsilä.
This combined Silverstream System will help bind in capital operational savings in the propulsion chain by raising the efficiency of fuel and optimisiny engine loading.
This joint force will help increase the deployment of air lubrication systems in all vessels classes ranging from small bulk ships to large container ships. The combination of the propulsion experience of Wärtsilä with the engineering knowledge of Silverstream will allow this clean technology to reach across the market.
This agreement will also allow the present and the future customers of Silverstream to access the global service network of Wärtsilä for the maintenance of their Silverstream System Installions. Wärtsilä has about 4500 field service professionals situated in 70 countries globally making its network of service centres, workshops, and service professionals the most expanded one in the maritime industry.
This agreement will ensure easy access of ship owners to the air lubrication technology of Silverstream. The system reduces fuel and burn and also decreases the associated emissions by 5 to 10% according to the type of the vessel.
Speaking on the agreement, Lars Anderson, Director, Propulsion, Wärtsilä Marine, said: “At Wärtsilä we are committed to fully supporting our customers as they strive to reduce operating costs and improve the environmental sustainability impact of their operations. Today’s agreement enables us to facilitate the building of better vessels that meet tomorrow’s challenges today, and Silverstream are the ideal partners to help us realise this goal.”
Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, added: “Today’s agreement with Wärtsilä reinforces our position as the shipping industry’s leading clean technology manufacturer. In Wärtsilä we find a partner as committed as we are to achieving a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable maritime industry.
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“With the global sulphur cap almost upon us and decarbonisation targets on the horizon, the commercial case for proven clean technology has never been stronger. Now is the time for ship owners to take action to reduce their operational costs and their impact on the environment, and today’s agreement will help unlock the power of air lubrication technology for more vessels across our sector.”
A carpet of microbubbles is created by the Silverstream System which coats the complete flat bottom of the vessels. The frictional resistance between the hull and the water is reduced by the carpet, thereby decreasing the consumption of fuel and related emissions. The technology works in every maritime condition, does not depend on the weather and also does not effect the normal operations of the vessels.
Reference: wartsila
