Sign up for Silverstream Communications

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


All eyes on the EET opportunity

2026 has opened with a renewed wave of geopolitical and economic uncertainty and many in the maritime community can be forgiven for feeling the adrenaline. Yet, it’s important to take stock of industry and regulatory developments over the past 12 months to recognise the opportunities ahead.

For most of 2025, maritime attentions were focused on the Net Zero Framework and what the International Maritime Organization’s proposals would herald for global shipping. The outcome of last October’s meeting of the Maritime Protection and Environmental Committee drew a sharp intake of breath for many shipping stakeholders as hopes of greater clarity around alternative fuels were dashed.

For the energy efficiency technology market and its fuel agnostic players, this meant that the critical role of how their solutions reduce fuel consumption became central to the maritime conversation with greater industry understanding that EETs are not “nice to have” but a “need to have” to futureproof tonnage.

This, however, was accompanied by increased scrutiny around the use of multiple EET solutions and rising demand for retrofits creating the requirement for greater shipyard capacity.

In recent years, the shipping mindset has shifted from seeking a single “silver bullet” for reducing fuel consumption to accepting a “portfolio” of solutions is required to cut fuel use and emissions. This has naturally led to complex decisions about which technologies are most suitable by vessel type and operating profile and the expected savings that EETs may deliver. According to ABS, answering these questions calls for a comprehensive approach that combines multiple EETs tailored to specific ship characteristics as the most effective way to achieve significant emissions reductions.

In its latest ‘Maritime Forecast to 2050’ report, DNV estimates that a combination of EETs can deliver fuel savings and emissions reductions of up to 16%. It notes the myriad of technologies available but points out that not all are independently verified or available to install at scale with confidence. Turning to installation, according to Lloyd’s Register, while the number of retrofit-capable yards has increased to around 16 shipyards, mainly located in China and the Middle East, retrofit capacity is currently at approximately 465 vessel conversions annually, which is below the projected peak requirement of more than 1,000 conversions per year.

Constraints in retrofit yard capacity have meant that EETs that rely on significant structural modification to vessels are less appealing than those that can be installed easily during planned dockings. At present, the market favours robust naval-architect-led systems, class engagement and verification discipline – the principles Silverstream Technologies is built on.

Despite the above-mentioned challenges, the appetite for EETs is clear. At the start of January 2026 –the number of in-service ships (above 100 GT) with energy efficiency technologies (EETs) onboard totalled 14,189, an increase of 11% from January 2025. According to data from Clarkson’s, some 47% of total in-service tonnage is now equipped with innovative emissions- reducing and fuel-saving technologies.

The volume of EETs installations, including onshore power supply facilities has grown every year since 2018, up 101% from 2019 to 2026 in terms of the number of ships.

And there is more good news. Shipowners contemplating EET retrofits might be able to tap into financial support. Late last year, Singapore’s Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation and leading lenders launched the world’s first ‘pay as you save’ retrofit fund. The $35m Fund for Energy Efficiency Technologies (FEET) is targeted to scale to $500m by 2030 – an ambitious trajectory. The fund seeks to enable shipowners, technology providers, investors, and lenders to share performance risk while providing unsecured financing at competitive costs through an innovative blended finance approach.

Without doubt, the geopolitical environment, and the impact it may have on shipping, is something we will all have to carefully navigate, but we can at least take some comfort from our industry enhanced focus on EETs. That said, we must collectively do more to support shipping’s evaluation of existing EET options.

Our Retrofit Solution

The existing fleet is a key focus for Silverstream in delivering fuel savings.

Silverstream completes further LNG retrofit of Silverstream® System at Seatrium Yard in Singapore

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. 

 

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.” 

 

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”.