Page 53: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2026)

PRODUCT FOCUS | MARINE COATINGS

AkzoNobel’s Intersleek 1100SR ex- mentally different approach. Rather

A Clear Direction empli? es this shift. The silicone-based, than relying on conventional paint sys-

Across hulls, tanks and appendages, biocide-free fouling control coating in- tems, Ecoshield uses a thick vinyl ester the direction of travel is unmistakable: corporates patented slime-release tech- barrier reinforced with high concentra- more so than ever ship and boat owners nology to reduce hull resistance without tions of glass platelets, forming a me- are demanding quanti? ed performance, relying on traditional biocides. Its adop- chanically robust, cavitation-resistant veri? ed data and lifecycle economics.

tion by Winning Shipping in China, layer. Applied ideally at newbuild,

The technologies introduced over across multiple drydockings, under- but equally effective as a repair sys- the past year — from ultra-low friction scores a key point: sustainability argu- tem, it is designed to remain in place antifoulings and newbuild-compatible ments only gain traction when backed for the lifetime of the vessel, with no silicones to electrostatic application and by operational performance.

need for repainting. At typical dry ? lm lifetime running gear protection — re-

In parallel, Nippon Paint Marine thicknesses of 1,000–2,000 microns, ? ect an industry aligning coating selec- continues to advance biocide-free Ecoshield absorbs and resists the pres- tion with fuel ef? ciency, emissions com- and low-friction technologies through sure pulses generated by collapsing pliance and asset longevity.

AQUATERRAS and FASTAR. AQUA- cavitation bubbles. Its compatibility

In an environment of volatile freight

TERRAS employs patented polymer with Eco? x ? ller allows damaged com- markets and tightening regulation, the and micro-domain structures to prevent ponents to be rebuilt without welding, humble coating system has become a fouling adhesion, while FASTAR uses reducing hot work and drydock time. strategic decision, one that increasingly hydrophilic-hydrophobic nanodomain A 10-year warranty further re? ects the separates vessels that merely operate architecture to reduce resistance.

shift toward lifecycle thinking rather from those that consistently outperform.

What distinguishes Nippon Paint Ma- than interval-based maintenance.

rine’s recent developments is its deci- sion to subject both coatings to indepen-

Tank Coatings as a dent long-term performance assessment

Commercial Lever by Lloyd’s Register Advisory, using For chemical and product tankers,

ISO 19030 methodologies and multi- cargo ? exibility and cleaning time di- source vessel data. This re? ects an in- rectly affect earnings. Advanced Poly- dustry-wide move toward transparency, mer Coatings (APC) continues to ex- where coating performance must stand pand the footprint of its MarineLINE up to third-party scrutiny across vessel coating system, selected last year for types, routes and operating conditions. multiple IMO II newbuilds for Cham-

Real-world results support the ap- pion Tankers.

proach. Carnival Corporation’s expe- MarineLINE’s strength lies in its ex- rience with AQUATERRAS—most ceptional chemical resistance, low ab- notably on AIDAdiva: demonstrated sorption and high-gloss ? nish. These fouling-free hull conditions after three properties reduce cleaning time between years of operation without underwater cargoes, minimize contamination risk cleaning, even through extended idle and enable faster turnaround—often periods. Reduced propulsive power outperforming stainless steel and con- demand and lower emissions followed ventional epoxy systems on a cost-per- naturally. formance basis.

With more than 700 vessels coated

Protecting the Parts and approximately 12% of the global

Hull coatings dominate discussion, chemical tanker coating market, APC’s but rudders, nozzles, thrusters and run- recent investments — including a major ning gear often account for dispropor- expansion of its U.S. manufacturing fa- tionate maintenance costs. Cavitation cility — underscore sustained demand erosion and galvanic corrosion can ex- for coatings that enhance cargo option- tend drydock duration and trigger ex- ality while reducing water, chemical and pensive mid-cycle repairs. energy consumption during cleaning.

Hydrex’s Ecoshield takes a funda- www.marinelink.com 53

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