Sonihull - Southern Power

THE ECO-FRIENDLY ANTIFOULING SOLUTION

Wherever there is unwanted marine biofouling – be it from tugboats to oil tankers, wind farms and fish farms, Sonihull is working with industry leaders to create cost-effective antifouling solutions that reduce drag, cut fuel consumption, increase service intervals and leave no poisonous environmental legacy.

Sonihull has developed an industry-leading ultrasound technology that safely prevents marine algae, weeds and molluscs from colonising ocean-going vessels and structures like ships and wind farms. The technology removes the need for poisonous chemicals and microplastics to be used in antifouling coatings and can reduce maintenance costs by up to 90%. The company is transforming the way that marine applications approach antifouling, which is an industry that is worth about $100 billion annually. This is in the commercial shipping sector alone.

WHAT CAN YOU PROTECT?

Many surfaces require protection from bio-fouling on a vessel, each with its own particular requirements.

Box Coolers, Seachests & Pipework

Propeller shafts & propellers

Hulls & surfaces

Keep floating assets working longer and more economical.

CUT YOUR COSTS & REDUCE DOWNTIME

Did you know that when marine growth builds on a ship’s hull it can increase drag and fuel costs by up to 60%? Keeping vessel operating costs down is critical to your bottom line. If you are operating with Impressed Current Anti-fouling (ICAF) systems protecting your box coolers, you could save up to 90% of your capital and lifetime MRO costs if you replace them with Sonihull systems. Sonihull systems can be fitted by small, isolated teams in a matter of hours.

SUSTAINABILITY

There is no leaching of poisonous biocides and no shedding of microplastics from ablative coatings. This means that there is no harm to marine mammals and fish. Sonihull has a zero poisonous environmental legacy. Unlike biocidal coatings and impressed-current systems, Sonihull is low cost and low maintenance with zero poisonous environmental legacy. This means Sonihull’s systems are Ideal for bulk storage. Sonihull suppresses diesel bug and keeps potable water fresher for longer. At only 3.6 watt-hours per transducer, Sonihull is ideal for onboard, standby or remote power.

How it works

Sonihull systems produce multiple bursts of ultrasonic energy in a range of targeted pulse frequencies. These pulses are transmitted through the material the transducer is attached to. The ultrasound produces a pattern of increasing and decreasing pressure on the surface of the material.

Increasing & Decreasing Pressure

The ultrasound produces a pattern of increasing and decreasing pressure on the surface of the material. In a process called non-inertial cavitation, microscopic bubbles are created during the reduced pressure cycle and are imploded as the pressure increases. The microscopic agitation has a cleansing effect which destroys surface algae.

Sonihull vs ICAF - Cost Comparison

Here are some typical installation costs for a four-box cooler setup.

Costs	ICAF	Sonihull
System Cost	R210 375	R121 370
Installation Cost	R64 730	R8 090
Commissioning Cost	R64 730	R8 090
MRO	R1 456 440	R60 685
Total	R1 796 275	R178 000

For commercial vessels with an operational lifespan of 15 years, the decision to switch to Sonihull ultrasonic protection becomes very easy to make. With lower capital costs and no ongoing maintenance costs for the regular replacement of expensive ICAF sacrificial copper anodes, Sonihull will save you in the region of R160 000 on just four box coolers. And this figure does not take into account reduced drydock and downtime costs.

Our technology

Sonihull antifouling systems use the power of ultrasound to protect the inside and outside of marine vessels and structures from unwanted marine growth.

Unlike conventional antifouling coating systems, Sonihull does not release poisonous biocides that kill marine organisms or use ablative coatings that leave microplastic pollution in their wake. Sonihull keeps surfaces clear using ultrasound-induced non-inertial cavitation, which disrupts the biofouling process and actively prevents barnacle and mussel attachment.

LEISURE SOLUTIONS

Change your anti-fouling, change your boating

Sonihull ECO protects all kinds of leisure boats from the rigours of marine biofouling. Traditional antifouling systems (like ant-fouling paints) rely on the release of poisonous biocides that aim to kill anything that attaches to your hull. These systems require owners to etch their brand-new hull and start on a never-ending annual (sometimes bi-annual) cycle of hoisting, jetting, cleaning, disposing of hazardous wash-off, surface prep, masking and repainting with more toxic chemicals. That newly ant-fouled smooth-bottom feeling doesn’t last long either. Fouling will get progressively worse until your next lift-out.

24/7 Protection, Season After Season

With Sonihull ECO you can break free from this expensive and time-consuming boat maintenance and get back to enjoying your boat.

Whatever your hull is made of your boat’s performance and your boating experience can be maintained season after season.

Steel, aluminium, GRP, FRP, carbon, Kevlar, even solid plastics and ABS materials can be protected from marine biofouling with Sonihull ECO anti-fouling systems.

Sonihull ECO Protects – Inside & Out

Inside: Waterjets, Fuel & Water Tanks

Outside: Hulls, Propellers, Stern Drives, IPS Drives, Keel Coolers

Future Proof Your Boat - Save The Planet As Well

In 2019, the COWI Report estimated that 2,920 tonnes of microplastic pollution annually, made its way into the sea. This is just from anti-fouling coatings on leisure boats within Europe.

By 2026, any marine anti-fouling system that uses a biocide (any harmful chemical) will have to be resubmitted for lengthy and expensive approvals.

Industry insiders expect that many of the current anti-fouling paints will be discontinued before 2026, as demand grows for future-proof biocide-free solutions

LEISURE BOAT SYSTEM

Sonihull’s mission is to deliver environmentally safe and cost-effective antifouling wherever unwanted biofouling persists. Their vision is:

To make dosing the oceans with poisonous biocides and microplastics a thing of the past.
To deliver effective antifouling systems using the power of ultrasound.
To save the oceans, one ship at a time.

MORE COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS

Email

sales@southernpower.co.za

Working hours

Mon. – Thurs 7:30AM – 4:30PM

Fri: 7:30AM – 4PM

Telephone

021 511 0653 | 021 510 3049