New silicone-based coating makes its large-scale debut at Orskov Yard

Having just left Orskov Yard, the oil/chemical tanker Thun Lundy is set to benefit from significantly improved fuel performance.

Here, the 20,499 DWT vessel was treated with a new silicone-based antifouling paint system from Jotun. Unlike conventional antifouling paint, this new coating minimizes frictional resistance, enhancing hydrodynamic efficiency.

MT Thun Lundy is under the management of MF Shipping Group, with Technical Superintendent Wouter Korbee in charge of the vessel’s docking at Orskov Yard in Frederikshavn.

“This is my second stay at Orskov Yard. Exactly one year ago, I visited the yard on board MV Shetland. Now, I had the pleasure of meeting the exact same team again, which was very nice”, says Wouter.

“During the yard stay, we applied silicone paint. It’s the first time that this type of silicone coating from Jotun is being applied on such a large scale in Europe, and I’m quite happy with the results we’ve achieved.”

The new silicone coating is more complex to apply than traditional ship paint, as it requires two layers of primer and a tie coat to ensure proper adhesion. The benefit, however, is an entirely smooth hull surface, allowing the vessel to move through water with much less resistance, ultimately reducing fuel consumption.

Beforehand, all existing paint must be removed from the hull down to bare metal. Here, our surface treatment supplier, Premator, benefited greatly from the yard’s ultra-high-pressure water blasting robots and crawlers. By using this dust-free blasting technology, we can meet the requirement of keeping the dock entirely clean ahead of the silicone coating application.

As part of the docking, we also performed a complete overhaul of the shaft system, including inspection of bearings, stern tube, and seals.

A big thank you to MF Shipping Group and Thun Tankers for trusting Orskov Yard’s facilities and expertise. We look forward to working with you again 🤝