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Drydocks World-Dubai signs strategic partnership with Silverstream to drive maritime decarbonisation in the Middle East

LONDON, 10th August 2022: Drydocks World-Dubai announced today the signing of a strategic agreement with maritime technology company, Silverstream Technologies, to promote the use of market-leading air lubrication technology, for the vessels that enter the busy shipyard each year. 

Drydocks World-Dubai, a subsidiary of DP World, is the largest centre in the Middle East for ship repair, conversion, new builds, rigs and MRO projects, with a particular focus on renewables and energy efficiency projects. 

Air lubrication is an approved technology under the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for newbuilds, as well as the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements, which come into effect in 2023. The agreement with Silverstream will see Drydocks World-Dubai become an approved installation provider of Silverstream’s technology on a wide variety of retrofit projects which will support owners in meeting pressing efficiency regulations. 

The partners will work together to promote the Silverstream® System, while closely sharing knowledge on both the technical and commercial aspects of its installation procedures. The partnership marks another step in Silverstream’s global expansion, collaborating with the very best yards and supply chain partners around the world to utilise their local relationships and expertise. 

Capt. Rado Antolovic PhD, CEO of Drydocks World said: “We are pleased to sign this partnership with Silverstream, an innovative provider of clean technology, as part of our commitment to enhancing the environmental performance of shipping. Together, we intend to share technical expertise and promote a proven efficiency solution to minimise the maritime industry’s carbon footprint.” 

Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: “We are proud to announce our collaboration with Drydocks World-Dubai, a global leader in ship repair, conversion and newbuilding services. As a highly respected yard with decades of experience, it will help boost adoption of our proven Silverstream® System; strengthening the reliability and integrity of our supply chain, and raising awareness of our technology’s capacity to improve ship efficiency and operational flexibility.” 

 

Silverstream and ICE co-operate on retrofit design

ICE Marine Design and Silverstream have entered into a framework agreement for worldwide installation design services for retrofitting of the Silverstream® System, the market leading patented air lubrication system designed for reduction of friction between ships’ hulls and seawater. London-based Silverstream Technologies is a founding member of the Global Industry Alliance for combating pollution within shipping. The Silverstream® System has been proven to deliver substantial fuel savings and an associated reduction in GHG emissions.

Commenting on the new cooperation agreement, Steinar Draegebo, ICE Group’s Chairman & Chief Executive, said: “ICE has for some years been designing retrofit installation of ballast water treatment (BWT) and exhaust gas cleaning (EGC) systems into existing ships; we routinely send employees around the world to undertake laser scanning onboard ships to ensure we can design an installation that can be done as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.

“We are honoured to be selected by Silverstream Technologies to extend our retrofit design activity to help the many shipowners around the world whoare keen to reduce fuel costs and help combat pollution using the Silverstream® System. We expect this to be a major retrofit market opportunity within the near future as the industry becomes aware of the substantial benefits of the technology, with the aim that the Silverstream® System is routinely included in new ships when they are being built”.

Wärtsilä and Silverstream to collaborate on accelerating deployment of air lubrication technology

Technology group Wärtsilä, and Silverstream have announced the signing of a Licence and Co-operation Agreement for future sales and servicing of the Silverstream System. As an authorised sales and service partner, Wärtsilä intends to fully integrate Silverstream’s air lubrication system within its propulsion solutions. 

By offering the Silverstream System as an integral part of Wärtsilä’s propulsion solution for newbuild vessels, compliance with the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) will be further improved. Under the agreement, the Silverstream System will also be available through Wärtsilä’s sales channels for retrofit installations on existing vessels where Wärtsilä is a primary solution provider. The integrated Silverstream System is expected to realise synergies in capital and operational savings across the propulsion chain by increasing fuel efficiency, and optimising engine loading. 

This new collaborative partnership will accelerate the deployment of air lubrication systems across all vessel classes, from small bulk vessels to the largest container ships. By combining Wärtsilä’s propulsion expertise and Silverstream’s innovative engineering knowledge, access to this clean technology will be facilitated across the market. 

Going forward, the collaboration agreement will enable current and future Silverstream customers to access Wärtsilä’s global service network for the maintenance of their Silverstream System installations. Wärtsilä’s network of service centres, workshops, and service professionals is the most extensive in the maritime industry, with 4500 field service professionals located in 70 countries around the world. 

The agreement means that more ship owners will have easy access to Silverstream’s proven air lubrication technology. The system has been proven to reduce fuel burn and associated emissions by 5 to 10%, depending on vessel type. 

Speaking on the agreement, Lars Anderson, Director, Propulsion, Wärtsilä Marine, said: “At Wärtsilä we are committed to fully supporting our customers as they strive to reduce operating costs and improve the environmental sustainability impact of their operations. Today’s agreement enables us to facilitate the building of better vessels that meet tomorrow’s challenges today, and Silverstream are the ideal partners to help us realise this goal.” 

Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, added: “Today’s agreement with Wärtsilä reinforces our position as the shipping industry’s leading clean technology manufacturer. In Wärtsilä we find a partner as committed as we are to achieving a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable maritime industry. 

“With the global sulphur cap almost upon us and decarbonisation targets on the horizon, the commercial case for proven clean technology has never been stronger. Now is the time for ship owners to take action to reduce their operational costs and their impact on the environment, and today’s agreement will help unlock the power of air lubrication technology for more vessels across our sector.” 

The Silverstream System creates a carpet of bubbles that coat the entire flat bottom of the vessel. This carpet reduces frictional resistance between the hull and the water, dramatically reducing fuel consumption and related emissions. The technology works in all maritime conditions, is not weather dependent, and does not constrain or negatively impact the normal operational profile of the vessel.