Evac company Cathelco has launched a new ultrasonic antifouling technology, known as USP DragGone, aimed at combating hull biofouling.
The patented technology marks a milestone for Cathelco and the Evac Group in its efforts to promote marine environmental protection through innovative solutions. USP DragGone is designed to reduce drag and enhance fuel efficiency significantly, and claimed to offer the potential to decrease fuel consumption and associated emissions by up to 13%. Biofouling, the accumulation of aquatic organisms on submerged vessel parts, increases drag, raising engine load, fuel costs, and carbon emissions. Effective biofouling management is considered crucial for reducing friction, saving fuel, and cutting GHG emissions.
USP DragGone offers a proactive solution intended to complement anti-fouling paints, ensuring the hull remains clean from the start. It employs transducers mounted inside the hull to emit ultrasonic waves, preventing microorganisms and algae from attaching to the vessel’s hull and mitigating the risk of invasive species translocation.
Chris Hewitt, Product and Technical Manager, Cathelco, said: “Biofouling management is key to a decarbonised shipping future. USP DragGone keeps the hull clean, reducing emissions and costs. The more biofouling on the hull, the greater the drag, which reduces fuel efficiency. USP DragGone keeps the hull clean from biofouling, which can help to reduce fuel consumption, thereby reducing emissions and also costs. The IMO recognises that biofouling management is an important part of the roadmap to a decarbonised future for shipping. In addition, these macro-organisms can play havoc in marine habitats if they detach from the hull and reproduce in areas where they are non-native. While much effort has gone into ballast water treatment over the past decade, hull and niche area biofouling is also a key contributor.”
Dr Sasha Heriot, Cathelco Product Development Business Manager, added: “Hull cleaning is a reactive solution to biofouling management – if you have fouling on the hull you will have suffered from the effects of drag before it is cleaned, thereby impacting fuel efficiency. Hull cleaning is an expensive process with a possibility of coating damage, either during regular dry docking when the vessel is taken out of service, or by using cleaning robots, or divers, which has potential safety implications. With USP DragGone, the hull remains clean from day one, preventing even a fouling slime layer from forming, which is what creates an environment for barnacles and other macrofouling to form.”
Cathelco says its antifouling systems have been successfully installed on over 25,000 vessels worldwide, preventing growth in sea chests, internal pipework, and box coolers. USP DragGone adds ultrasonic antifouling, safeguarding vessel hulls and marine ecosystems globally.
Image: UP DragGone (source: Cathelco/Evac Group)
