Sonihull Wins Company of the Year 2021

A marine technology firm which is aiming to help clean up the seas by cutting out the use of toxic chemicals has been crowned Company of the Year at the 2021 CoventryLive Business Awards.

“I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to all of our finalists, winners and especially our Company of the Year 2021, Sonihull.” Said CoventryLive editor Adam Moss, adding: “Climate change and green technology is now front and centre of the global news and political agenda, so it’s great to know that one of our own from right here in Coventry is setting the pace in marine technology and helping conservation.”

CoventryLive editor Adam Moss

UK green technology company Sonihull, is showing the world how to save the oceans, despite being located about 100 miles from the sea. For over a decade, Sonihull has been developing systems that harness the power of ultrasound to prevent seaweed and barnacles settling on ships, offshore windfarms and oil rigs.

The business of antifouling (the process of keeping unwanted marine growth off manmade structures in water) is estimated to cost the shipping industry $100 billion annually in drydocking, cleaning, disposal and repainting costs. Currently, about 95% of ships still rely on the use of toxic biocides to keep their hulls and cooling systems clean, but these leave a poisonous legacy in the oceans. By contrast, Sonihull systems can save up to 90% of the lifetime costs of traditional antifouling methods and all with zero environmental impact.

Based in Coventry, 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, oil rigs and wind farms.
Sonihull’s technology removes the need for poisonous chemicals and microplastics from ablative coatings and is transforming the way that marine applications are approaching antifouling. It has been estimated that If Sonihull systems were fitted on the propellers of every commercial vessel in the world, global ship emissions could be reduced by between 160 and 408 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

Sonihull can protect any solid surface that is exposed to raw seawater. In Box Coolers (the ship equivalent of a car engine radiator) its systems are already saving up to 90% of capital and MRO costs compared to traditional Impressed Current Anti-fouling (ICAF) systems. Other areas that benefit from keeping clean without the need for drydocking or underwater polishing, include propellers, hulls, bulbous bows, fin stabilisers, and stern gear.

Currently, 95% of all antifouling systems rely on the release of toxins into the environment – this is not environmentally sustainable. The clock is ticking because the IMO [International Maritime Organisation, the world’s maritime regulatory body] is legislating towards ‘zero harm’ solutions. Sonihull’s technology uses zero biocides; zero poisons are leached into the oceans; zero microplastics are shed from ablative coatings. Sonihull is also inaudible to marine mammals and fish.