# “Lubricating” ships hull with air bubbles **URL:** \ **Category:** Marine Engineering\ **Created:** [January 20, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059 "2026-01-20T13:43:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/1 "2026-01-20T13:43:40Z")
Amazing how much of modern inventions originate by learning from nature’s fauna and flora. Here is an example: > **[How penguins' air tricks could help the shipping industry](https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2025/10/how-penguins-air-tricks-could-help-the-shipping-industry/)** > > ‘Bubbles’ – taste that word – and think soda, soap, play and well-being. But did you know that air bubbles can also reduce fuel consumption and emissions from oceangoing vessels? ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/2 "2026-01-20T13:57:30Z")
Now where have I heard that idea before? Oh yes, I remember… > **[NYK Finds Air Bubbles Significantly Reduce Ship Resistance \[REPORT\]](https://gcaptain.com/finds-bubbles-significantly-reduce/)** > > Post World War II, warships began to experiment with a system called Prairie-Masker which expelled bubbles through the hull and propellor blade tips in an effort to mask the acoustic... > **[MSC Newbuilds to Ride Carpets of Bubbles to Fuel Savings](https://gcaptain.com/msc-newbuilds-to-ride-carpets-of-bubbles-to-fuel-savings/)** > > Some big news today in the world of bubbles. Or air lubrication, to be specific. London-based Silverstream Technologies, a leader in the field of air lubrication systems for ships, says... 😉 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tugger50](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/tugger50/32/1090_2.png) [@tugger50](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugger50)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/3 "2026-01-20T16:38:34Z")
The US Coast Guard has also used bubblers to assist with ice breaking on the 140 foot tugs on the Great Lakes. Don’t know if they still do. They had a small connex box they put on the stern with big compressors in them to hook up to bubblers on the hull. Reports were that it worked well. ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:22pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/4 "2026-01-20T21:22:28Z")
I sailed in a frigate that used the AGOUTI system where air was forced through small holes on the propeller to prevent the bubbles collapsing causing cavitation. Owing to the design to incorporate the system the propeller was far nosier if the AGOUTI system was operating at less than optimum. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/5 "2026-01-20T21:27:20Z")
> [@tugger50](#): > > The US Coast Guard has also used bubblers to assist with ice breaking on the 140 foot tugs on the Great Lakes. Yes the use of air bubbles to reduce friction on icebreakers and other vessels that operate in ice covered waters is not a new thing: [https://share.google/dr0gsOKtud9RtwMr4](https://share.google/dr0gsOKtud9RtwMr4) For Icebreakers and other vessels designed for operation in heavy ice and low temperature the point is to keep ice from sticking to the hull sides. For other ships it is to reduce friction, thuse saving fuel and reducing emission from oceangoing vessels. The use of air bubbles to “lubricate” the hull of ships, both commercial and naval, is also not a novel idea. My point was where the idea to do so came from, namely from Penguins: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/9/8/980c68a62751a9d08d6267b41379c3d015d5dd32.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/6 "2026-01-21T02:21:25Z")
> [@ombugge](#): > > _My point was… Penguins_: Ah! 🐧 Point taken 🐧 ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/7 "2026-01-21T21:53:24Z")
Are you aware that my post was on “Penguin Awareness Day”?: > **[Penguin Awareness Day 2026](https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/world-days/penguin-awareness-day)** > > This Penguin Awareness Day, learn more about this iconic species and what you can do to help them. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2026, 10:36pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/8 "2026-01-21T22:36:40Z")
No, I wasn’t! Auk-ward! 🐧 ---
**Author:** ![Ssttinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Ssttinger](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Ssttinger)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/9 "2026-01-22T13:38:04Z")
Then, of course, the US Navy has had a similar system called Prairie Masker for many years. The system is oriented towards improving survivability against submarine threats by reducing ship machinery and propeller cavitation noise. It injects air bubbles around the hull just below the waterline and then again from the propeller(s). ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/10 "2026-01-22T17:41:31Z")
Don’t you have penguins where you live? Here in Ålesund awareness of penguin day is every day. At least at the Atlanterhavsparken aquarium: [https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/](https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/) [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/3X/e/c/ec9665946d4e71069ac0cb7b5c3f999289950f97.jpeg "Atlanterhavsparken Ålesund - The Norwegian Aquarium") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQE9TxCzpZo) Feeding time for the penguins are especially well attended by locals and tourists: > **[Penguins](https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/opplevelser/pingvinene)** > > The Humboldt penguins are our international guests from Chile and Peru. Favourite with the school children is seeing the penguins gulping down whole herrings, just like the Dutch do it: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5O0J5Q2MfM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5O0J5Q2MfM) Hope nobody gets their knickers in a twist over this being a bit OT. PS:There are many ways bubbles have, are and can be used, other than lubricating ships underwater body to decrease friction, fuel consumption and emission. One way is to keep fish captive, or to keep wild fish, seals and otters from getting too close to floating pens used in aquaculture. BTW: this technique is copied from whales. ---
**Author:** ![Tomqwest](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/tomqwest/32/68449_2.png) [@Tomqwest](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Tomqwest)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2026, 6:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/11 "2026-01-24T18:26:44Z")
On CGC Naugatuck in 1973, went to Toledo dry dock to have installed. They had to add a perforated plate to the ice breaking hull to make it work. Very large compressor installed. was fun to watch when it was activated, not clear on the effectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/13 "2026-01-25T22:45:29Z")
Coming back to the original theme of friction reduction with bubbles as a lesson from nature (penguins), I was reminded recently of another “boundary layer” optimisation. In 1987 America’s Cup, The US entry driven by “the Dennis” (Conner, that is) used a hull finish of “riblets” resulting from NASA research. These were intended to create micro-vortices which reduced boundary layer friction, but also created some controvery too. Inspired by dolphin & shark skin! [HISTORY - Riblets](https://www.riblets.at/history/) [20020087761.pdf](https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20020087761/downloads/20020087761.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![jimrr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jimrr/32/38358_2.png) [@jimrr](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jimrr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/14 "2026-01-26T18:10:04Z")
I INVENTED THIS CONCEPT ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO! test test ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 11:54am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/15 "2026-01-27T11:54:37Z")
[From OP article _“… penguins release small bubbles…”_] > [@jimrr](#): > > _I INVENTED THIS_ Releasing large bubbles in your own bath does not count! 😷 ---
**Author:** ![KemalPamouk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kemalpamouk/32/8425_2.png) [@KemalPamouk](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KemalPamouk)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/16 "2026-01-27T21:10:51Z")
Myth Busters proved the concept and increased the scale by putting a golf ball style divot skin on a full sized automobile and did air resistance testing. Turns out it helps. They also did an episode where they generated a bunch of bubbles under a small boat and got it to sink due to loss of buoyancy. Wouldn’t the little bubbles generated in one of the ship schemes necessarily cause the draft to increase? ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/17 "2026-01-27T21:52:01Z")
> [@KemalPamouk](#): > > they generated a bunch of bubbles under a small boat and got it to sink due to loss of buoyancy. Did the small boat move at any speed when they did this? ---
**Author:** ![KemalPamouk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kemalpamouk/32/8425_2.png) [@KemalPamouk](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KemalPamouk)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 10:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/18 "2026-01-27T22:34:28Z")
Nope, just floating stationary. ---
**Author:** ![Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Binbag\_the\_Saylore](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Binbag_the_Saylore)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 12:06am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/19 "2026-01-28T00:06:48Z")
> [@KemalPamouk](#): > > sink due to loss of buoyancy. In the past, I have seen many Sat-C SafetyNet warnings for submarine volcanic gassing expressing this risk. ---
**Author:** ![shipengr](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/shipengr/32/485_2.png) [@shipengr](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/shipengr)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/20 "2026-01-28T00:19:10Z")
And large methane leaks under semi-sub rigs I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Robadibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@Robadibob](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Robadibob)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2026, 11:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059/21 "2026-01-28T11:41:12Z")
Be wary people, only fools rush in. Use of this concept on shipping, commercial and naval, would need exhaustive trials to evaluate effectiveness. Reducing underway friction on an immersed hull would compromise the existing technology offered by both self-polishing antifoulings and the far more advanced fouling-release coatings. Both of these systems rely on friction, the miniscule gap between hull and the water rushing by known as laminar flow aside, to keep the underwater hull clean, thereby conserving bunkers and operating cost. Both systems provide zero protection when the vessel is idle, alongside or at anchor but once she’s making way again, protection resumes. [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lubricating-ships-hull-with-air-bubbles/74059.md?page=2)