The Selektope® antifouling agent developed by I-Tech AB increases the resistance to barnacle growth in marine paint systems, reducing fuel and maintenance costs.
I-Tech AB
has recently announced that it has signed a license agreement with International Paints Korea Ltd, the South Korean subsidiary of the Protective Coatings division of the international paints and coatings manufacturer AkzoNobel. The company will then supply the Selektope® antifouling agents for the commercial use in the up-coming products.
I-Tech is a biotechnology company that has developed the product Selektope, an active agent that prevents barnacle attachment on submerged surfaces such as ships and boat hulls, but also other marine installations. By increasing the resistance to barnacle growth in marine paint systems, fuel and maintenance costs are reduced. With the new partnership, the company has now a deal with all the six major paint and coatings producers operating in the South Korean market, which alone accounts for around 33% of the global newbuilding market of all ships.
“The agreement once again proves the very strong position of Selektope in the global antifouling industry. That we deliver our substance to so many of the paint manufacturers active in the South Korean market is a very good testament to our product and something that benefits our continued global expansion. Selektope has proven to be very successful in combating marine fouling of barnacles on ships. Earlier this year, we show that the hospital ship Global Mercy, whose hull was treated with Selektope, remained free from barnacle growth even after being laid idling for 22 months in warm waters,” has stated Philip Chaabane, the CEO of I-Tech AB.