Hull coating performance monitoring: delivering greater transparency with ISO 19030

by Barry Kidd, sector manager, AkzoNobel's Marine Coating's Business, International, first published in ShipInsight, November 2016

ISO 19030 – Ships and marine technology – Measurement of changes in hull and propeller performance represents an important milestone in the shipping industry’s continued journey towards enhanced hull coating performance monitoring and propeller performance monitoring. The standard, which will be finalised shortly, consolidates the latest academic and industry knowledge and understanding into an agreed and standardised method to measure the performance of a vessel through the water.

A key objective of the standard is to provide all ship owners and operators with a clear and transparent framework with which to gauge the relative merits of hull and propeller efficiency improvements, which can be implemented for vessels both with and without performance measuring sensors. The new standard will also enable the transparent comparison of datasets, providing a sound basis for more effective settlement of charter party disputes and the sharing of benefits that may result from the adoption of the latest hull coatings or the replacement of a propeller, for example.

A breakdown of ISO 19030

In conjunction with other industry stakeholders spanning the shipping supply chain, AkzoNobel’s Marine Coating’s Business, International, has played an influential role in the development of all parts of the new ISO 19030 standard.

ISO 19030 focuses on four key performance indicators (KPIs) that are based on power and speed. The first is the measurement of ship performance before and after a drydocking. The second KPI tracks the performance of the hull and propeller while a vessel is in operation. A third triggers the point at which maintenance may be required, including cleaning the hull or polishing the propeller, for example, and a fourth KPI monitors the impact of such maintenance.

ISO 19030 is broken down into three parts:

• Part 1 sets out the objectives and purpose of the standard, which is to provide an agreed and standardised method to measure the performance of hull coatings and propellers.

• Part 2 provides a method by which automated data collected from sophisticated on-board sensors can be used to measure efficiency gains with an estimated accuracy of plus-or-minus 1-2%. These measurements take in a number of variables such as shaft power, fuel consumption and speed. It is estimated that Part 2 is currently applicable to 10% of the commercial fleet (less than 3,000 vessels) that are equipped with performance measuring sensors and continuous monitoring systems

• Part 3 is founded on a tiered system of potential methods for monitoring, including noon report data collection. This will enable the vast majority of the industry to ensure, and demonstrate compliance with, the new standard. AkzoNobel in particular championed this part of the standard, as part of its belief that the widest possible number of ship owners and operators in the industry should be able to demonstrate compliance, and in consideration of the tough economic climate.

Industry appetite for ISO 19030

ISO 19030 represents a solid, initial ‘line in the sand’ in relation to monitoring hull and propeller performance, but there is still further progress that needs to be made.  Participants involved in developing the standard are advocating that the industry - including ship performance monitoring specialists such as BMT, Wärtsilä-owned Eniram, Marorka and NAPA - embrace the standard as a minimum requirement and adapt their performance monitoring systems accordingly. In addition, to ensure the continued relevance of the standard, it is essential that ISO 19030 keeps apace with the on-going development of technology and analysis capabilities that ship performance monitoring specialists are currently developing.

Applying ISO 19030 compliant data to Intertrac Vision

In July 2016, AkzoNobel outlined its full compliance with ISO 19030. The requirements for the new standard have been incorporated into AkzoNobel’s recommendations for hull performance monitoring.  This means hull coating performance predictions from AkzoNobel’s big data consultancy tool, Intertrac Vision, can be verified and validated against actual performance using a monitoring process that is ISO19030 compliant.

Intertrac Vision is a pioneering free digital consultancy service for ship owners and operators, which provides accurate and transparent predictions on the fuel and CO2 savings potential of fouling control coatings, prior to application. Hull coating performance predictions produced by Intertrac Vision can be analysed during vessel operation to confirm compliance with the requirements for all parts of ISO 19030. This includes ISO 19030 Part 2 and ISO 19030 Part 3. In addition, AkzoNobel will also continue to support ship owners and operators who wish to verify the performance of their coatings using other methods.

Michael Hindmarsh, Project Lead for Intertac Vision, explained the rationale behind the adoption of ISO 19030 into the software: “Intertrac Vision is a system that is easily adaptable, scalable and has the capabilities to react to market changes, and it can incorporate more functionality as required to suit the needs of our business and customers,” he said. “The adoption of ISO 19030 into Intertrac Vision for hull coating performance monitoring is an important example of this, and demonstrates AkzoNobel’s on-going commitment to delivering transparency and choice in hull coating selection and performance.”

Looking ahead  

AkzoNobel will continue to take a leadership role in progressing the debate on hull coating performance monitoring, educating its customers and prospects, and working at the forefront with industry stakeholders to further develop ISO 19030 and methodologies that are applicable for the whole shipping industry.