The enormous energy required to power large cruise ships and merchant vessels means, as shipping companies or ship designers ,you are always looking for ways to reduce fuel costs. One recent innovation, incorporating Atlas Copco’s air compressor and blower technology, has been ‘air lubrication’ to reduce hull drag and improve efficiency. Silverstream Technologies is the first company to evidence fuel savings using their patented Silverstream® System.

The air lubrication system employed by Silverstream uses a series of carefully positioned air release units (ARU) on the ship’s hull near the bow, which then creates a carpet of micro-bubbles. This carpet reduces drag, minimizing the amount of fuel required to propel the vessel forward.

Designated as an ‘innovative technology’ within the International Maritime Organisation’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), Silverstream® system is seen by many as integral to the future of shipping by reducing Green House Gas emissions.

At the heart of the system is the need for reliable air compressor technology. “The system relies on a constant and dependable supply of compressed air” explained Stephen Potts, Chief Operating Officer at Silverstream. “The Atlas Copco ZS55 oil-free screw blowers provide this – giving us the right combination of cost, performance and reliability.”

The efficiency of the compressed air system was important. As a fuel-saving measure, air lubrication is more effective when the compressors or blowers used are themselves highly efficient, and Atlas Copco enables a faster return on investment by giving Silverstream Technologies and its customers the right balance of CAPEX and OPEX.

Also, since the air lubrication system releases air directly into the ocean around the vessel, it was important from an environmental perspective to ensure that the air output carried no pollutants.

Stephen also mentioned: “The ZS oil-free system was perfect for Silverstream since it gave us reliability and pollutant-free output, thus supporting the company’s strong environmental position”

Craig joined Silverstream in 2019 and is now VP of Sales with responsibility for business development, project execution and in-service support of the company’s merchant shipping segment. Craig has over 25 years’ experience in shipbuilding and ship systems, with BAE, Babcock, Thales and, most recently, Wärtsilä where he was Sales Director in Ballast Water Systems. Throughout his career, Craig has held senior roles in sales, operations and business management and brings a wealth of experience in execution of shipbuilding projects and major overhauls and installs. Craig is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of West Scotland.