Air Lubrication Firm Joins Shipping Decarbonization Center
Readers tracking marine fuel efficiency can follow how installed air lubrication systems are shared with research programs.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
Air lubrication firm Silverstream has joined the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping as a mission ambassador, according to an emailed update on November 3, 2026. The move brings its vessel-efficiency experience to a shipping decarbonization research center.
Why it matters
For readers following the wider maritime sector, the partnership signals continued industry focus on fuel-efficiency technology as shipping works to cut emissions. Silverstream's more than 160 installed systems give the center a large base of real-world operating experience to draw on.
Silverstream reports more than 160 vessel installations in service, representing a combined 19 million deadweight tonnage across the global fleet. The center it joined was established in 2020 and is funded by the A.P. Moller Foundation.
The players
Silverstream
An air lubrication firm with more than 160 vessel installations in service, covering a combined 19 million DWT of the global fleet.
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
A not-for-profit research and development center focused on decarbonizing shipping, established in 2020.
A.P. Moller Foundation
The funder of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
The details
Air lubrication systems introduce air beneath a vessel's hull to reduce friction between the ship and the water, which can lower fuel use. Silverstream will share its engineering and operational experience with the center to support its work on energy efficiency. The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping operates as a not-for-profit research and development center.
Timeline
2020: The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping was established with funding from the A.P. Moller Foundation.
November 3, 2026: Silverstream was announced as a mission ambassador in an emailed update.
The Home Front
Shipping is one of the sectors where efficiency technology is being layered onto existing fleets rather than waiting for new builds. This partnership places a retrofit-style efficiency technology inside a decarbonization research program rather than in a purely commercial setting.
If you own shares, work in shipping logistics, or buy goods shipped by sea, this partnership is a signal of how efficiency upgrades are being evaluated across the industry. There is no direct action required for most households at this stage.
The takeaway
Efficiency technologies like air lubrication are being tested and shared through research partnerships as the shipping sector works to lower emissions. Tracking announcements from research centers can show which technologies gain traction over the coming years.
Further reading
For more on how cleaner technologies are reshaping transport, explore our Electric Vehicles coverage.
