We’re pleased to share the news that Nippon Paint Marine’s biocide-free, self-polishing coating AQUATERRAS won the Marine Technology Award at last week’s Seatrade Maritime Awards in Shanghai.

The Seatrade Maritime Awards honours shipping organisations going above and beyond to drive industry progress, raising the benchmark for excellence with their exceptional work. With fourteen categories, the prestigious Seatrade Maritime Awards ceremony brings together leaders in the maritime industry to network and celebrate the year’s greatest achievements. The Seatrade Maritime Awards were established in 1989 and are one of the most well-respected accolades in the industry to win.

AQUATERRAS won in the Marine Technology Award category with this award recognising the coating’s contribution to improving efficiencies, lowering operating costs and reducing emissions for the shipping industry. AQUATERRAS is the world’s first biocide-free self-polishing coating with an environmentally friendly formulation. Nippon Paint Marine has conducted thorough testing which demonstrates that AQUATERRAS does not contain biocidal substances and active ingredients and poses no harm to marine life. Testing with marine life has been done with marine fish, bivalves, crustaceans and seaweeds at Nippon Paint Marine’s purpose-built R&D centres; none of which were harmed or affected by AQUATERRAS.

Unlike traditional antifouling coatings that rely on biocides, such as copper or cuprous oxide, AQUATERRAS sets a new standard. AQUATERRAS’s surface is super-smooth and extremely flat due to its biocide free formulation and its self-polishing hydrolysis reaction helps to make a vessel’s surface even smoother over time, effectively self-polishing as the vessel moves. Leveraging cutting edge medical anti-thrombogenic polymer technology, AQUATERRAS incorporates hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro-domain structures that actively repel any biological adhesion onto its surface. As a result, marine organisms are unable to attach and grow on the hull, which enables improved vessel performance and efficiency.

AQUATERRAS uses the latest science and technology to enable customers to increase operational efficiencies and reduce GHG emissions and fuel costs. Data shows that AQUATERRAS can provide an up to 10% fuel saving, which supports Nippon Paint Marine’s customers in driving greener operations, increasing efficiencies and uptime, reducing costs and emissions, and protecting their most valuable assets. AQUATERRAS is used across a range of different sectors within the shipping industry, including container shipping, tankers and bulk carriers, with cruise a particular early adopter. The system is being tested by major shipyards and shipowners, with patches applied to various vessels.

Sustainability lies at the heart of Nippon Paint Marine’s agenda, and this award win highlights our commitment to improving the planet and helping our customers drive vessel performance and accelerate their decarbonisation journeys Ultimately, sustainable business is good business. Nippon Paint Marine remains committed to bringing to market new technologies that set new benchmarks for excellence and are inspired by our customers’ needs, as well as ensuring that sustainable practices are represented in every facet of the organisation.