Stena's newbuilds to be covered with Selektope

Photo: Stena Line

The hulls of the four ro-paxes under construction at the Chinese AVIC Weihai Shipyard will be covered with a bio-repellent antifouling paint.

The organic non-metal Selektope, developed by the Gothenburg-based I-Tech AB, incorporates a pharmacological mode of action for combating barnacle settlement. By stimulating the octopamine receptor, the barnacle larvae's swimming behaviour is activated, resulting in the organism's deterrence from the hull, even when the ship is idle.

In addition, Stena's and Selektope's press release reads, the paint provides hard fouling protection that decreases water resistance, hence lowers fuel consumption.

The ro-paxes are to be delivered in 2019-2020 for deployment in the Irish Sea on the routes to and from Belfast. Stena's order within AVIC includes an option for four more vessels.