Runwell
Our focus
Damen is partnering with Runwell, a new cleantech company focused on revolutionising vessel efficiency through sustainable solutions. Its goal, to tackle the age-old problems of marine biofouling and hydrodynamic drag. Together these can have a significant negative impact on fuel consumption, operational costs and environmental sustainability.
Founded as the result of a strategic research collaboration between industry leaders Philips IP&S, Akzo Nobel Marine Coatings and Damen Ventures, Runwell is bringing to the market a solution that combines UV-C technology with biomimetic drag reduction structures inspired by sharkskin.
Integrating two technologies
The UV-C Anti-Fouling System uses UV-C LEDs in a coating scheme to eliminate biofouling without the need for any harmful biocides. It can be applied directly to all vessel surfaces below the waterline including recessed areas such as sea chests, thereby ensuring continuous protection.
The second technology is Sharkskin-Inspired Drag Reduction. This mimics the microstructures found in sharkskin to reduce hydrodynamic drag, enhancing vessel efficiency and contributing fuel savings of up to 6%.
The combination of these technologies not only ensures cleaner hulls but also significantly improves fuel efficiency up to a total of 12%, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimising maintenance requirements.
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