New coating makes catamaran Ferdinand” more environmentally friendly!

New coating makes catamaran Ferdinand” more environmentally friendly!

A remarkable step to promote the environment is currently being taken at the Häfler shipyard of Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (BSB). The catamaran “Ferdinand” gets a new hull coating that helps to significantly reduce its own ecological footprint. Again South Courier reports, the Hamburg start-up Clean Ocean Coatings has developed the innovative coating called “Ecoating”. This new material is intended not only to prevent fouling on the ship, but also to extend maintenance intervals.

A closer look at the technology shows that ecoating is not only environmentally friendly, but also promises maximum efficiency. Jens Deppe, General Manager of Clean Ocean Coatings, explains that the coating does not contain any solvents or microplastics. The product consists of nanostructured particles in a polymer matrix, which results in an extremely smooth surface. This makes cleaning the ship easier and significantly reduces follow-up costs.

Economic efficiency and sustainability

The numbers speak for themselves: While the routine removal and renewal of the old coating costs around 30,000 euros every two years, the costs for the complete coating measure total 80,000 euros. Christoph Witte, managing director of the catamaran shipping company, plans to carefully monitor the results of the first application in order to also equip the ships “Constanze” and “Fridolin” with ecoating if necessary.

Over 8 years of research into the development of Clean Ocean Coatings have produced a product that could potentially revolutionize the marine coatings market. Ecoating also helps save fuel, which has a positive effect on shipping's carbon footprint, such as TUTECH INNOVATION GmbH highlights. The collaboration with the Enterprise Europe Network also shows that the company is looking for cooperation partners to further advance the technology and bring it to the next level of development.

A look into the future

The demand for more sustainable antifouling coatings cannot be overlooked. More and more projects, like the one funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection BioSHIP project, are working to develop biodegradable and less harmful coatings that do not pollute the environment. These projects aim to remove toxic heavy metals and microplastics from the maritime industry and ultimately support the sustainable development of our waters.

With the introduction and successful implementation of ecoating, Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe not only shows a good knack for innovation, but also a strong commitment to the environment. Perhaps for Christoph Witte and his team, the founding of a subsidiary called “Clean Lake Constance Coatings” even offers a humorous but serious perspective on an even greener future. In any case, it is important to follow the development of this groundbreaking technology with excitement.