K Shipbuilding to use Alfa Laval’s air lubrication systems in tanker newbuild projects

Swedish sustainable solutions provider Alfa Laval has signed the first memorandum of understanding (MOU) for OceanGlide installations with Korean shipbuilding company K Shipbuilding (KSB).

As explained, the collaboration will see Alfa Laval OceanGlide air lubrication system being used in KSB’s potential newbuilding projects such as medium range (MR) and long range 1 (LR1) tankers.

Through this business agreement, KSB seeks to leverage the benefits offered by OceanGlide to achieve its objective of improving a vessel’s energy efficiency, and performance by reducing the vessel’s frictional resistance while sailing by using air lubrication technology.

OceanGlide serves KSB’s efficiency goals by utilizing intelligent integration of fluidics with air lubrication to enhance the vessel’s propulsion power savings by up to 12%. This translates to lower fuel consumption, reduced CO2 emissions and improved EEDI, EEXI and CII compliance, according to the company.

“We are proud to work with KBS as our business partner in Korea. This agreement signifies the market’s growing trust in Alfa Laval as a reliable partner. It also highlights the recognition of our solutions as being innovative and efficient,” Rajiv Sarin, Head of Air Lubrication, Alfa Laval, said.

“OceanGlide is an innovative solution that helps improve ship operation efficiency, and we expect it to align well with our goals of developing and building competitive ships,” Tae-Hyun Koh, CTO, K Shipbuilding, commented.

OceanGlide, using fluidic technology, creates highly streamlined airflow sections on a vessel’s flat bottom. Each section has an independently regulated fluidic band that produces a controlled air layer. This feature ensures optimal efficiency, maximum coverage, and reduced compressor power.

The system’s high efficiency in controlling air flow is said to ensure an effective air layer with fewer compressors and provide the added advantage of conveniently positioning them anywhere on board. This technology contributes to energy conservation and enables adherence to environmental regulations, marking a ‘significant step’ towards sustainable maritime operations, according to Alfa Laval.