Sign up for Silverstream Communications

Get regular news updates and customer insights on how ALS is transforming maritime efficiency.


Silverstream exceeds 200 orders with new 18-strong LNG carrier deal

Maritime clean technology leader Silverstream Technologies has surpassed 200 orders for its air lubrication system with its latest confirmed deal. The Silverstream® System will be installed onboard 18 new LNG carriers, which will be chartered by a global energy company and owned and operated by shipping majors.

Silverstream’s current orderbook includes 57 LNG carriers, spans nine vessel segments, and includes 20 repeat customers, including seven major ship owners and 13 of the world’s largest shipyards. The company also has 82 systems in operation onboard the existing fleet.

Over the total lifetime of all contracted vessels, Silverstream estimates that its air lubrication technology will save its current customer base almost $5 billion in fuel costs and prevent the emission of over 19 million tonnes of CO2. Additionally, this CO2 reduction is projected to save approximately $2 billion through existing carbon tax systems.

Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies said: “Silverstream was founded in 2010 with a vision to have a positive impact on shipping’s decarbonisation journey. Surpassing over 200 orders is a significant milestone for us, highlighting the tangible emissions and cost savings we have delivered for shipowners and operators. This achievement also demonstrates the meaningful impact we are making on the industry’s green transition. Our market-leading Silverstream® System is fast becoming a standard choice on newbuild vessels and a leading retrofit option improving vessel efficiency and sustainability.”

The Silverstream® System shears air from air release units (ARUs) in the hull to create a uniform carpet of microbubbles that coats the full flat bottom of a vessel. As a result, frictional resistance is decreased, cutting average net fuel consumption and GHG emissions by 5-10%. The system is fuel agnostic, effective in all sea states, and is applicable to all shipping segments.

As the shipping industry’s decarbonisation transition progresses, evolving regulatory and market drivers are strengthening the rationale for adopting vessel fuel efficiency solutions. LNG carriers could fall into non-compliant categories (D and E) of the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) framework, largely because of the way in which they handle boil-off gas. Meanwhile, the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) is adding a progressive cost to emissions, increasing in scope from 40% of emissions in 2024 to 70% in 2025 and 100% in 2026. This means that technologies such as the Silverstream® System not only lower fuel consumption and emissions, but also help to cut the costs of regulatory compliance.

According to recent Clarksons data, at least 33% of the world’s ships are fitted with a form of energy saving device by gross tonnage, but the number of vessels is only 8700, compared to a global fleet of 110,500.

By sector, container ships have seen the highest clean technology uptake with over 48% of fleet capacity fitted with at least one solution, followed by tankers and cruise ships, both over 38%, and bulkers over 35%. Air lubrication systems are attracting growing interest from shipowners with 500 systems either in operation or set to be installed on newbuilds on order.

The Silverstream® System, which makes up a significant proportion of the industry’s ALS uptake, is suitable for both retrofit and newbuild installations.

LNGC segment throws its weight behind Silverstream System

Raft of orders for LNGC air lubrication highlights technology’s growing impact in segment across newbuild and retrofit. 

Maritime clean technology leader Silverstream Technologies has today announced multiple orders from the LNG carrier (LNGC) segment for its proven air lubrication technology, the Silverstream® System. This latest raft of orders takes the company’s orderbook in the segment to 36 vessels, representing a combined value of approximately £50 million, highlighting air lubrication’s viability for LNGCs of all sizes. 

The orders – which come from major US and UK-based energy companies, and Northern European shipowners, will see Silverstream’s ALS installed on 10 LNGCs. Six are for retrofit projects taking place between 2023 and 2025, and four are for newbuilds which will be delivered between 2026 and 2027. 

Four of the orders come from an unnamed owner on newbuild 180k cbm LNGCs being built at a leading Chinese shipyard. Another owner has ordered the system for retrofit on two 174k cbm LNGCs, which will take place at either Seatrium – the newly branded shipyard formed by the merger of Sembcorp Marine and Keppel Offshore & Marine – or Navantia, depending on the vessels’ itinerary, during their five-year dry dockings. 

Finally, another unnamed owner has signed for retrofit installations of the Silverstream® System on four 160k cbm LNGCs. The installations were contracted via Seatrium and will take place at the yard in the coming months, as the vessels reach their scheduled 10-year dry dockings. 

Silverstream’s technology is very well-suited to the LNG segment, as LNGCs have a large flat bottom that maximises ALS’s friction-reducing capabilities. The system reduces average fuel consumption and emissions for LNGCs by 7-10% net, which typically equates to a 1MW net power saving. 

The Silverstream® System can also help to reduce LNG boil off and increase delivered cargo volume, or cut fuel consumption and associated emissions, depending on the operator’s commercial and sustainability priorities. This is because ALS can be used either to enable vessels to travel at higher speeds for the same fuel consumption, or to cut fuel consumption and emissions without sacrificing speed. 

It is for these reasons that air lubrication technologies, and particularly the Silverstream® System, have become a standard choice for newbuild LNGCs over the past few years, with retrofit options now rapidly increasing in popularity as well. 

Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: “We’re extremely pleased at the uptake our system is attracting from the LNG segment, as well as from major energy operators who appreciate our technology’s proven fuel and emissions saving record. The Silverstream® System is a perfect match for LNG vessels, as the natural characteristics of these ships, as well as their operational priorities, mean that air lubrication is one of the only solutions that will enable operators to achieve their efficiency goals here and now.” 

Silverstream’s total orderbook now comprises 175 vessels across all shipping segments. The installations will be supported by Silverstream’s team of 120 marine engineers and technical experts. A team of 20 in Shanghai will also provide on-the-ground support for Asian installations of the technology. 

Silverstream will be presenting in the Technical Conference at Gastech Singapore 2023. Noah’s session is at 14:30 SGT on Tuesday 5th September, where he will explore the performance of the Silverstream® System onboard the LNGCs that are already utilising the system. Silverstream will also have an exhibition stand at Gastech, in location BC50. 

 

Silverstream and Shell awarded the Royal Institution of Naval Architects Qinetiq Maritime Innovation Award  

Silverstream has announced that it has been jointly awarded the Royal Institution of Naval Architects‘  QinetiQ Maritime Innovation Award, alongside Shell Shipping & Maritime, for the recent retrofit installation of the Silverstream® System onboard the Shell-chartered LNG carrier Methane Patricia Camila.The award, which recognises innovations that are making significant improvements in the design, construction and operation of oceangoing vessels, has been presented to the companies for their efforts to drive forward the use of proven efficiency technologies within shipping. 

The announcement supports Silverstream’s continued ambition to make air lubrication a standard on all vessels. It also follows the recently announced completion of trials of the System onboard the Methane Patricia Camila. During these trials, Silverstream and Shell’s engineers demonstrated 6.6% net savings generated by the Silverstream® System. 

The recognition of the retrofit installation by RINA and QinetiQ highlights the important role of fuel agnostic proven technologies, like the Silverstream® System, alongside future fuels, in achieving the necessary emissions’ reduction within the global fleet. It also reflects the actions that owners and operators can take today – by embracing proven clean technologies – to improve the efficiency of their existing assets. 

Silverstream and Shell will donate the prize money for this award to the Mission to Seafarers, to support the charity’s work helping those at sea. 

Speaking on the announcement, Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: “We are proud to be awarded the QinetiQ Maritime Innovation Award in collaboration with Shell and would like to thank RINA and QinetiQ for their recognition of this pioneering retrofit installation. 

“We believe that this retrofit installation with Shell is just the beginning; impending regulations, such as the IMO’s proposed Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), will make projects such as this essential for achieving our common goals. 

“The award follows an incredible start to the year for us here at Silverstream Technologies and is truly reflective of our strong partnership with Shell. With a number of installations ongoing and more orders in the pipeline, we anticipate a milestone next 12 months for our organisation.” 

 

Silverstream and Shell complete ALS trials onLNG carrier Methane Patricia Camila 

Silverstream has unveiled that its pioneering air lubrication system, the Silverstream® System, has delivered significant fuel and emissions savings during testing on the Shell-chartered 170,000 cbm LNG carrier Methane Patricia Camila. 

Following operational testing of the retrofitted technology, Silverstream and Shell’s engineers demonstrated 6.6% net savings generated by the Silverstream® System. The technology was tested at various vessel speeds during the Methane Patricia Camila’s normal operations, to calculate fuel and emissions savings. 

The Silverstream® System enables fuel and emissions efficiencies through its unique design. The innovative technology produces a thin layer of microbubbles along the full flat bottom of the vessel, reducing frictional resistance between the water and the hull. 

The System was successfully retrofitted on the 2010-built LNGC during its October 2020 planned dry docking at the Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Shipyard in Singapore. 

The project was installed within the planned dry docking period, and was delivered on budget. From design through to installation the System was reviewed and approved by ABS in accordance with their guidance note for Air Lubrication Technology. 

Commenting on the announcement, Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: “It is great to announce that retrofitting the Silverstream® System onboard the Methane Patricia Camila has already had a significant positive impact on fuel consumption and emissions, with 6.6% savings verified during initial testing. We’d like to thank our colleagues and partners at Shell for their confidence in our technology, and also for their vision and commitment to pioneer proven clean technologies within shipping. 

“Shipping requires solutions to solve the decarbonisation challenge today. With fuel bills only set to rise in the future, owners need to invest in fuel-agnostic technologies that are proven to save costs and emissions, without impacting the flexibility or profitability of the vessel. We are proud of the role that our technology can play to solve this challenge.” 

 

Shell and Silverstream sign framework agreement to drive clean technology take up in LNG

Silverstream Technologies signed a landmark framework agreement for retrofit installation of the Silverstream® System on some of the vessels in the Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd. (“Shell”) LNGC fleet. 

The agreement will see Shell and Silverstream develop a close working relationship for the design, engineering, procurement, and execution of the Silverstream® System. 

The new framework will enable Shell to expedite the installation of the technology on Shell’s LNGC fleet. Initially covering the next three years, the framework will ultimately reduce contract lead times and the total cost of ownership for vessel operators. 

Today’s announcement marks the next step in the longstanding relationship between Silverstream and Shell. Tracing their relationship back to 2014, Silverstream and Shell have collaborated on a number of vessel performance studies and landmark sea trials to fully understand and verify the savings potential of the Silverstream® System. 

In-operation trials have proven that the Silverstream® System reduces fuel consumption and associated emissions by between 5-10%, depending on vessel profile. 

Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, added: “Today’s announcement marks a significant next step for Silverstream. Shell has been a longstanding and important partner for our organisation, and strengthening this relationship will help to drive clean technology uptake within a crucial market segment. 

“That is why signing this framework agreement today makes sense. Given the rate of change within our industry, we hope that this will prove to the sector that retrofitted clean technologies such as the Silverstream® System are easy to procure and execute, and should form an integral part of an overall GHG emissions reduction strategy for existing vessels and fleets.” 

The Silverstream® System reduces fuel consumption and associated emissions by creating a carpet of microbubbles that coat the entire flat bottom of the vessel. This carpet reduces frictional resistance between the hull and the water. 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. 

Silverstream signs landmark MOU with Hudong-Zhonghua for new build LNG carriers

 Silverstream has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with leading shipbuilding group, Hudong-Zhonghua, part of the CSSC Group. The MoU will see Silverstream’s air lubrication technology – the Silverstream® System – integrated into Hudong-Zhonghua’s new building designs for its future LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers in order to increase operational and fuel efficiencies, reducing fuel costs and emissions by between 6% and 8% for laden and ballast conditions. 

Hudong-Zhonghua is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), China’s largest shipbuilding group, and the second largest in the world. To-date, it is also China’s leading manufacturer of LNG carriers, with a capacity for six to eight vessels in its yard. 

The MoU is a significant landmark for Silverstream, as it is the company’s first LNG class newbuild project. It also represents both the Asian market’s growing interest in air lubrication systems, and its wider demand for greater efficiencies and sustainability in newbuild orders. 

Commenting on the development, Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said:  “We are delighted and honoured to have signed this landmark agreement with Hudong-Zhonghua, one of the world’s largest and most respected ship yards. It is a significant step for Silverstream as we expand into a new vessel class, and further grow our customer base in the important Asian market.” 

The signing of the MoU marks 12 months of in-depth collaboration between the two organisations, which culminated in the approval of Silverstream’s technology onto Hudong-Zhonghua’s LNG carrier newbuild designs. Both Silverstream and Hudong-Zhonghua will continue to collaborate to drive the sales process with prospective ship owners, working together to ensure the optimum efficiency and design on future orders from the yard. 

Mr Danping Lou, Chief Technical Officer, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, said:  “We are committed to bringing to market the most operational and energy efficient newbuild vessels for the LNG sector. In working closely with Silverstream over the past 12 months, we have seen the real attributes of air lubrication technology and the Silverstream® System, and it was clear that incorporating it into the designs for our newbuild LNG vessels, in conjunction with other measures, would deliver optimum performance. We are confident that these new vessels will set the benchmarks for vessel design and performance in the LNG sector.” 

Additionally, the UK Government’s Department for International Trade has played an important role in developing the strong relationship between the UK and Asia, both in terms of maritime innovation, and bringing the two companies together. 

Lei Cullinan, Head of Marine China, Department for International Trade, said:  “Asia is the world’s largest shipbuilding market, and combined with the UK’s pedigree for maritime innovation creates the foundation to create new technologies and ship designs that meet the sustainability challenges that the shipping industry faces. This agreement between Hudong-Zhonghua and Silverstream is evidence of this, and highlights the opportunity to continue to drive progressive and positive change.”