AkzoNobel announced they are partnering with Ocean Craft Marine and Porta Products as part of ‘Project Perfect Storm,’ the first initiative under Ocean Craft’s innovation lab AIME, the accelerator for Innovation in the maritime ecosystem.

The partnership involves over a dozen industry-leading maritime partners with a shared mission to perfect the efficiency and onboard comfort of the 11.5 meter offshore Interceptor. The concept is to take an already remarkable vessel and customize every detail even further to maximize the overall efficiency and ensure the most protective platform for the crew.  

With an unparalleled operational range and a sprint speed of 64 mph at wide-open throttle, dominance on the open water is non-negotiable for these operators. 

Ocean Craft Marine chose Porta Products to completely reimagine the hull design. Choosing to opt for a premium coating, Porta Products selected AkzoNobel’s Awlgrip® and Sea Hawk® brands to enhance the new strakeless design of the hull. 

Jessica Stewart, Marketing Manager (Americas) from AkzoNobel said, “We are proud to partner with Ocean Craft Marine and Porta Products to use our technology to help drive innovation in the maritime industry. Being part of this project is a testament to the performance of our innovative products and proves that even the smallest adjustments to a vessel's functionality and design are important and contribute to overall efficiency. We are proud to be part of an initiative aimed at improving vessel performance while maximizing crew protection.”

The Ocean Craft Marine Team said “Project Perfect Storm is not just a vessel; it’s a symbol of versatility, functionality, and thoughtful design, tailored for diverse maritime operations. We are excited to partner with Porta Products and AkzoNobel on this next phase to create an optimum finish that will ultimately improve performance. This initiative underlines our commitment to revolutionizing maritime technology and design, pushing the boundaries of what’s conceivable in the maritime world.”

Scott Porta, from Porta Products, says, “AkzoNobel’s Sea Hawk moisture barrier epoxy primer, Tuff Stuff, and Sea Hawk high performance antifouling finish Colorkote particularly stood out to us due to their ease of application. I was able to use a pressure pot to spray both products. They blended well with no dry edges, and the profile was smoother than rolling or brushing the product on, adding to our agenda of squeezing every bit of efficiency out of the project. Application of two coats of each was nearly effortless. The Sea Hawk antifouling is a satin finish that dried clean and consistent with no evidence of paint strokes or dry edges. The result is a robust finish that will clearly take on the elements and provide a long and durable finish life.”

The Awlgrip range enables applicators to fill, fair and paint vessels. Awlfair® LW, which was applied as part of Phase 2 and contributes to Porta Products new hull design, is a premium trowelable filler.  

Sea Hawk Tuff Stuff Epoxy Primer and Sea Hawk Colorkote Triple Protection Fouling Control were also applied to help enhance performance.

Tuff Stuff Epoxy Primer enabled the application of a complete barrier system and bottom paint in just two days.  While Colorkote, which is a copper free, triple biocide, polishing antifouling, is aluminum safe and allows vessels to be hauled for extended periods and then relaunched without affecting the antifouling properties.

Both Tuff Stuff and Colorkote products were professionally sprayed to allow for a smoother and more consistent application. The final layer of Colorkote was also burnished to achieve a speed-enhancing, racing finish.

The results from each phase of the project will be shared to show the incremental improvements. The vessel itself will be on display and available for demos at several industry events, including IBEX and METS, where AkzoNobel will also exhibit.