Tier Product News

GoM shipyards are meeting the demand for right-sized, multi-mission boats. In the last decade, Gulf Coast shipyards have watched demand for multi-mission vessels grow from foreign governments and U.S. authorities. In particular, local counties and municipalities – pinched by shrinking budgets and expanding mission sets – began the march to leverage a single hull for more than one task. And, since these boats can serve military or civilian needs, the need for boatbuilders to quickly adapt a standard hull form to a particular requirement became a highly desired skill set.

Global coatings supplier Hempel has launched HEMPAGUARD, a new hull coating concept for the shipping industry, which Hempel said offers both outstanding resistance to fouling during idle periods and significant fuel savings. The technology, dubbed ActiGuard, has been five years in development and is based on silicone-hydrogel and biocide science. HEMPAGUARD available as two separate products: HEMPAGUAR X5 and HEMPAGUARD X7. Hempel’s tests show excellent fouling resistance of up to 120 days during idle periods plus fuel savings of six per cent on average with HEMPAGUARD.