MOL Tests Environment-Friendly Antifouling Treatment on Ferries

Tag : Silicon Washer
- LONDON, UK- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL,President: Akimitsu Ashida) today announced that its TechnologyResearch Centre has successfully completed tests of a water-basedantifouling treatment technology called Water Coat on six ferries.The test was a joint project with MOL Group company M.O.Engineering Co., Ltd. and NM Corporation Watercoat enterprise.

Water Coat has already been widely adopted on buildings,automobiles, electric railcars, and so on. However, this is thefirst time that it has been used on large-scale vessels. And, thisis the world's first as the case to adopt the water-basedantifouling treatment technology to large-scale vessels.

 Characteristics of Water Coat
NM has acquired a patent on this anti-fouling system, whichtransforms running water to functional hydrophilic water with aproprietary ceramic device and using a pressure washer to spray iton the surface to be protected.
" Main characteristics
" The function is semi-permanent after application with ahigh-pressure washer.
" There is no alligatoring or streaking because it is not acontinuous coating
" Environment-friendly ingredients
" It reduces cleaning and coating frequencies and eliminates theneed to clean with detergent, etc., reducing water consumption andthe overall environmental burden.
" The coating reflects ultraviolet rays and increases weatherresistance.

 How Water Coat Works
The system, developed by the University of Fukui and NM in anindustry-academic project, utilizes the characteristics of aspecial ceramic containing about 10 kinds of minerals found innature to apply electrolysis to water, and uses that mechanism toproduce a coating on the concave-convex surfaces of a targetobject, using the principle of electrolysis.

This coating technology is completely different from conventionalchemical coatings including fluoride and silicon resin. Itelectrodeposits 100% inorganic glass ingredients (boric acidsilica) to the molecules of a target object, crystallizing them bycarbon dioxide in the air. The aggregation of crystallized glassmolecules becomes the coating and covers the target molecules. Thisprevents fouling over a prolonged period of time.

 Test Results
Period: June 2007 to May 2008
Test Vessels: Sunflower Gold, Sunflower Pearl, Sunflower Sapporo,Sunflower Daisetsu, Sunflower Furano, Sunflower Shiretoko
Test method: Applied Water Coat on windows of guests rooms, commonbath, and restaurant, and conducted follow-up observation
Results of observation: Effects of cleaning by rain water andantifouling effects were apparent on surfaces exposed to rain. Thetests also showed that it was easy to rinse away dirt on glass notexposed to rainfall. In this way, Water Coat also contributes tomore enjoyable travel for ferry passengers.

 Looking Ahead
MOL will promote the adoption of this coating on MOL Group ferriesand cruise ships based on the results of this test. The companywill also study Water Coat's effectiveness as a hull antifoulingmethod to reduce water resistance.

 Photos
Left and centre: Spraying Water Coat with high-pressure washer
Right: Glass window, about six months after application. This ferryshuttled about 50 times between Hanshin and Oita.

Pictures available to download from our website.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About The New World Alliance: TNWA member lines Mitsui O.S.K.Lines, Ltd. (MOL), APL, and Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd. (HMM)serve more than 50 ports using in excess of 120 containerships inthe major East-West container trades.

MOL is one of the world's largest multi-modal transport companies,operating more than 800 vessels and employing a workforce in excessof 8,600 worldwide. MOL operates one of the largest and mostdiverse networks of liner and logistics services around the globe,including weekly Transpacific, Transatlantic, Americas andAsia-Europe services. Please visit the company's website athttp://www.MOLpower.com