Grimaldi to fit 12 RO/RO ships with Silverstream air lubrication systems

DECEMBER 10, 2018 — Hull air lubrication specialist Silverstream Technologies reports an increasing uptake of its technology as a fuel and emissions reduction solution. Its recent successes include a major deal with Grimaldi Group to install the Silverstream System on 12 new RO/RO carriers. This follows the successful retrofitting of the technology on Carnival Corporation subsidiary Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess.

” As fuel prices rise as a result of regulation, owners will need a way to mitigate costs. Clean technologies are one of the best means to achieving this, but only if those solutions are credible, means-tested and proven,” says Noah Silberschmidt, CEO, Silverstream Technologies. “This proof is doubly important in a market of low liquidity, with owners and operators conceivably facing existential challenges about the future of their fleets. This means that they should only make an investment when faced with clear proof that a system works as it claims in terms of efficiency benefits.”

Silverstream has worked for years to both prove the efficiency savings of its pioneering air lubrication technology, which, it says, achieves up to 10% emissions savings potential depending on the type of vessel, and also to work with its wider regulatory network to accelerate the adoption of air lubrication systems and clean technologies in general within the shipping industry. By working with partners including HSVA, Lloyd’s Register and Shell, Silverstream says it has established clear evidence of the technology’s fuel savings potential.

“What we can observe with this uptake is the clear signal that shipping has crossed an important threshold; air lubrication systems are now recognized by regulators and industry leaders as one of the most compelling ways to realize fuel and efficiency savings,” says Silberschmidt.