Armada, Gibdock weigh air lubrication installations for broader service integration

Gibraltar-based shipyard Gibdock has joined forces with UK-based tech firm Armada Technologies to explore the integration and feasibility of Armada’s proprietary air lubrication system (ALS) into ships serviced by Gibdock.

As informed, under the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) that the two parties signed, the overarching aim will be to ‘leverage the collective strength of both organizations’ to assess the potential and the technical viabilities of installing Armada’s passive air lubrication system (PALS), also known as a naturally aspirated air lubrication system.

According to Armada, PALS operates in a semi-passive mode and allows for ‘discreet’ control of the system output, with complete decoupling of system lubricity from ship speed. As explained, the system does not require high-energy compressors. Instead, it uses small-capacity eater pumps in sub-optimal conditions only.

When it comes to vessels with short-duration, multi-port routes, PALS reportedly delivers ‘considerable’ fuel savings and carbon dioxide (CO2) reductions.

Air lubrication systems have been around for quite some time. They have proven useful in minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cutting fuel consumption in a plethora of projects. Since its conception, ALS technologies have undergone numerous trials that showed this system could allow the ship to save 3-24% net-percentage power, with the air-covered area on the bottom contributing the most to that energy saving.

By 2021, there were reportedly 50 vessels in the global fleet fitted with an ALS, but by 2023, data showed that there were 65 installations in the water at that time with 200 more in the orderbook, with the number continuing to grow.

Furthermore, a 2023 study done by the University of Southampton and commissioned by the International Chamber of Shipping, revealed that energy efficiency measures like air lubrication systems and wind-propulsion technologies can contribute to the reduction of underwater radiated noise (URN) when working in synergy.

To be precise, the study acknowledged the chance to reverse the uptick in URN just by leveraging the balance of URN with energy-efficient measures like the optimization of propellers together with factors such as diameter, blade number and area, pitch, skew, rake and sectional shape.

The ICS concluded then that such convergence could yield ‘tremendous’ decreases in URN emitted by ships.