Maritime clean technology leader Silverstream Technologies has today announced it has successfully completed another retrofit of its air lubrication technology, the Silverstream® System, on a large LNG carrier at Seatrium’s Admiralty Yard in Singapore.
The retrofit, which was on a 174k cbm LNG carrier owned by an oil major, was completed in just 30 days, reinforcing the role that Silverstream’s technology can play as a near-term decarbonisation solution for existing ships. It is the 11th retrofit of the Silverstream® System that the company has delivered worldwide.
Seatrium is a signed cooperation partner of Silverstream, which helped to facilitate a smooth retrofit process. The yard was formed after the merger of Sembcorp Marine and Keppel Offshore & Marine in 2023 and is widely recognised as one of the world’s most important players in repair and upgrade solutions for all types of vessels.
The Silverstream® System releases a carpet of air to reduce the frictional resistance between the hull and the water, reducing average net fuel consumption and GHG emissions by 5-10%. Moreover, in the case of LNGCs, these savings result in increased delivered volumes.
With regulations such as EEXI and CII tightening decarbonisation targets, clean technology retrofits onboard LNGCs of the sort achieved by Silverstream and Seatrium will become increasingly relevant for the segment. Unprecedented demand for LNG shipping capacity is restricting fleet renewal opportunities and minimising their time in drydock, further reinforcing the case for improving the energy efficiency of the existing LNG fleet.
Silverstream has a proven track record of newbuild and retrofit installations and has delivered every one of its 69 in-operation installations on time. By completing the retrofit within 30 days, Silverstream also minimises any impacts on a vessel’s profitability.
Silverstream is now receiving repeat orders within framework agreements across LNG and other segments based on the technology’s independently verified performance and Silverstream’s track record of successful retrofit installations.
Speaking on the announcement, Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: “This successful retrofit at Seatrium of our technology onboard another LNG carrier is yet further proof of our deep experience in the LNG segment. The market conditions and operational factors unique to LNGCs make them perfectly suited to our air lubrication technology, and we will continue to work with energy majors and our yard partners to ensure smooth installations onboard any vessel that chooses us as an efficiency-boosting option.”
Mr Alvin Gan, Executive Vice President, Repairs and Upgrades, Seatrium Limited, said: ”As the premier yard in LNGC repairs, upgrades and conversions, Seatrium is committed to working with our customers and partners to provide turnkey, one-stop solutions in energy efficiency retrofits for LNG carriers. Our collaboration with Silverstream Technologies is successfully delivering another retrofit of their air lubrication technology and further solidifies our position in the industry. By providing comprehensive engineering services through excellent project execution, we aim to continue to lead and play a key role in assisting our customers to achieve their energy efficiency targets.”
The vessel retrofitted at Seatrium will now move into post-drydock sea trials for the Silverstream® System. Silverstream supports customers throughout the lifecycle of the system, including through crew training during the commissioning phase and through lifecycle agreements for servicing, maintenance and upgrades.