Five of the seven vessels were applied with Nippon’s proven A-LF Sea antifouling system during scheduled drydockings at Zhoushan Changhong Shipyard in China. Each hull was fully blasted prior to application to a 60-month drydocking interval.
The German-based coatings specialist, the maritime division of Japan’s Nippon Paint, the world’s fourth largest coatings manufacturer, has an extensive track record with Danaos, having applied its A-LF Sea antifouling system to almost half the shipmanager’s 60 vessel fleet.
Theodosis Dimopoulos, general manager of Nippon Paint Marine (Europe), said: “Danaos, which manages one of the world’s largest fleet of modern containerships, is a company dedicated to innovation, safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. This commitment to energy and environmental efficiency is manifest in the decision to use our hull coatings.”
Commenting on the coating’s fouling protection and fuel saving performance, Danaos DCOO & technical director, Vastarouchas Dimitrios, said: “As a leader in container shipping, it is vitally important to all at Danaos that we do everything we can to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment. Based on many years’ experience with Nippon Paint Marine, we have found the application of A-LF Sea contributes positively to reduced drag and, consequently, lower fuel consumption and fewer CO2 emissions.