AkzoNobel - Experts & Thought Leaders

Pioneering marine and protective coatings brand International®, part of AkzoNobel, celebrated its 35th year anniversary in China during an event in Shanghai in October 2024. First registered and founded in 1989 in partnership with Shanghai Huayi Fine Chemicals and China State Shipbuilding Equipment & Materials Corporation Ltd, International Paint of Shanghai Co., Ltd. has since established three production facilities in China, 17 distribution centres, and employs over 100 technical service staff to help support the growth of China’s maritime industry. Global shipping demand AkzoNobel celebrates a successful history in China just as the market is growing exponentially AkzoNobel celebrates a long and successful history in China, just as the market is growing exponentially. According to Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network, Chinese shipyards now hold a 56 percent share of the global order book having reached record levels in October 2024. As global shipping demand rises, especially for crude oil and natural gas, China is expected to continue dominating global shipbuilding and become a significant player in ship repairs and maintenance. Intersmooth® fouling control coating technology During an event commemorating its 35th anniversary, International Paint of Shanghai celebrated its key achievements in China with employees, senior pioneers at AkzoNobel, key stakeholders, and partners in attendance.  Notable milestones include Adora Magic City, the first large cruise ship to be built in China with its Intersmooth® fouling control coating technology, the opening of its factory in Pudong in 1994 and the R&D laboratory in Shanghai in 2005, as well as securing ISO14001 Accreditation in 2001. Aesthetic properties of ships International Paint of Shanghai was awarded the Gold Supplier Award for 2023, issued by CSSC Earlier this month, International Paint of Shanghai was awarded the Gold Supplier Award for 2023, issued by China Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd (CSSC). The Gold Supplier Award recognises outstanding contributions to safeguarding the anti-corrosion, anti-rust and aesthetic properties of ships built by CSSC. It is awarded to companies demonstrating customer-focused innovation and industry leadership on sustainable practices. Looking ahead to the future, International Paint of Shanghai has continued ambitions to support the growth prospects and success of the Chinese maritime industry, in addition to its own goals of reaching 50 percent of revenue from sustainable solutions, 50 percent reductions in operations across the value chain, and 100 percent circular use of materials by 2030. Dedicated workforce and strategic partners Simon Parker, AkzoNobel’s Marine, Protective and Yacht Coatings Business Director, who attended the anniversary event, said: “The 35-year anniversary of International Paint of Shanghai in China is not just a celebration of the past, but a commitment to its future." "The event reaffirmed that the journey for International Paint of Shanghai is far from over. With the continued support of our dedicated workforce and strategic partners, we are poised to reach even greater heights in the next 35 years and beyond.”

AkzoNobel’s International® marine coatings brand has announced a series of updates to Intertrac® Vision, a revolutionary digital forecasting tool. The latest enhancements include CII rating prediction, EU ETS cost impact and detailed breakdowns of cost savings across multiple dry-dockings, all designed to further support data-driven decision making on fouling control coatings for global vessel operators. Intertrac® Vision Intertrac® Vision analyses insights from more than 200,000 drydocks and 10,000 vessel operations. Harnessing this extensive track record and pairing it with cutting-edge machine learning modelling, the tool forecasts the contribution of coating performance for a vessel’s in-service period and evaluates the return on investment based on the specified vessel type and operational scenarios.  Other significant new features The tool enables vessel operators to make more informed decisions on fouling control coatings The tool enables vessel operators to make more informed decisions on fouling control coatings, which can help contribute to lower fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. The total cost of ownership summary has also been implemented in this recent update, providing insight into the return on investment as well as giving detailed cost contribution for each element of the drydocking cycle.  Other significant new features include the option to forecast over a 120-month cycle, either as two 60-month consecutive dockings or one continuous period. This accommodates the needs of vessel owners and operators to view the longer-term benefits of proper coating selection. Expansion of EU ETS With the expansion of EU Emissions Trading Systems (EU ETS) in January 2024 and the implementation of FuelEU regulation from January 2025, vessel owners and operators are now subject to more rigorous regulations. Consequently, there is a growing need from vessel operators for extensive data and reliable insights to facilitate improved decision-making processes on vessel operations. A recent Lloyds List survey found that more than 59% of shipowners consider coatings to be one of the best decarbonisation measures they can take to comply with the International Marine Organisation’s Carbon Intensity Indicator and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index. Intertrac® Vision tool Barry Kidd, Vessel Performance Manager at AkzoNobel, said: "Intertrac® was developed to empower shipowners and operators with bespoke insights to help make more informed decisions on vessel performance. Our technical experts understand how fouling challenges and vessel operations vary across trading routes." He adds, "When combined with our technical expertise, the Intertrac® Vision tool provides vessel operators with a greater understanding of where improvements can be made to their vessel operations, which in turn drives better investment decisions. We’re proud to announce that this next generation of Intertrac® Vision will equip customers with even greater insights to help them navigate the ever-evolving regulatory landscape." Capabilities of Intertrac® Vision Earlier this year, AkzoNobel demonstrated the predictive capabilities of Intertrac® Vision in a whitepaper where it accurately forecasted the performance of a globally trading VLCC vessel over a five-year docking period. The results demonstrated the reliability of Intertrac® Vision’s data-driven insights to accurately predict the vessels’ performance to within 1% of actual figures when measured in line with ISO19030. To learn more about Intertrac® Vision, please get in touch with an International® Paint representative to book a consultation for the fleet or visit booth B5.423 at SMM Hamburg 2024, on 3-6 September 2024.

AkzoNobel’s International® marine coatings brand has announced a series of updates to Intertrac® Vision, a digital forecasting tool designed to enable data-driven decision-making on fouling control coatings for global vessel operators. Intertrac® Vision analyses proprietary International® performance data across 200,000 drydocks and now with the addition of 10,000 vessel operators.  Intertrac® Vision Harnessing the predictive capability of Artificial Intelligence, combined with reliable data, the tool accurately forecasts the return on investment for fouling control coating systems based on the specified vessel type, trading routes, and performance scenarios.  The tool enables vessel operators to make more informed decisions on fouling control coatings which can help contribute to lower fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.  New features Predictions will depend on the route the vessel will take, fuel type, coating choice, and the impact of cleaning The latest updates to Intertrac® Vision include analysis of the total cost of vessel ownership and the ability to predict the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) of a vessel.  Other significant new features include the option to forecast over a 120-month cycle, either as one single event or as two 60-month consecutive dry dockings. This will provide greater flexibility to accommodate the specific requirements of vessel owners and operators. Predictions will depend on the route the vessel will take, fuel type, coating choice, and the impact of cleaning on how a vessel may perform in service. Decarbonisation measures Shipowners and operators are facing stricter regulations than ever before, following the extension of EU Emissions Trading Systems (EU ETS) in January 2024 and FuelEU Maritime Regulation coming into effect from January 2025, there is a growing need from vessel operators for extensive data and reliable insights to support more effective decision making. A recent Lloyds List survey found that more than 59 percent of shipowners consider hull coatings to be one of the best decarbonisation measures they can take to comply with the International Marine Organisation’s CII and Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index. Vessel performance insights Barry Kidd, Vessel Performance Manager at AkzoNobel, said, “Intertrac® was developed to empower shipowners and operators with bespoke insights to help make more informed decisions on vessel performance." “Our technical experts understand how fouling challenges and vessel operations vary across trading routes, so our updated tool ensures a greater understanding of where improvements can be made to their vessel operations which in turn drives better investment decisions. We’re proud to announce that this next generation of Intertrac® Vision will equip customers with even greater insights to help them navigate the ever-evolving regulatory landscape.” Predictive capabilities Earlier in 2024, AkzoNobel demonstrated the predictive capabilities of Intertrac® Vision in a whitepaper where the tool accurately forecasted the performance of a VLCC vessel over a five-year docking period. To learn more about Intertrac® Vision, please get in touch with an International® Paint representative to book a consultation for the fleet or visit booth B5.423 at SMM Hamburg on 3-6 September 2024.