Nippon Paint’s world’s first zero-bioinhibitor marine coating won the Shipping Technology Award jointly issued by SIPG and China Maritime

SIPG and Seatrade Maritime jointly organized the 2023
Seatrade International Maritime Awards Ceremony. Nippon Paint’s world’s first zero-bioinhibitor marine coating “AQUATERRAS” won the 2023 Shipping Technology Award, fully demonstrating Nippon Paint’s innovative technological capabilities in the field of marine coatings. Nippon Paint China is part of the Nippon Paint Group and was founded by Mr. Wu Qingliang, whose ancestral home is in Chaozhou. Its business currently covers more than 30 countries and regions around the world.

The Maritime Maritime Award was established in 1989 and is a world-renowned maritime and shipping award. It aims to recognize companies that have made outstanding technical contributions to the shipping industry around the world. A total of 13 awards were presented at this awards ceremony, including Ship of the Year Award, Shipping Finance Award of the Year, Sustainable Shipping Award, Port Terminal Innovation Award, Logistics Special Creativity Award, Young Shipping Leader Award, Multicultural Inclusion Award, Global Outstanding Award Performance Award, Shipping Technology Award, Shipping Enterprise of the Year Award, Corporate Social Responsibility Award, Global Shipping Outstanding Person of the Year Award and Shipping Lifetime Achievement Award, etc. After strict selection, Nippon Paint Marine Coatings “AQUATERRAS” stood out for its green innovative technology and its contribution to improving efficiency, reducing operating costs and reducing emissions in the shipping industry, and won the only award in the technology (product) category. This is another professional recognition in the industry after “AQUATERRAS” won the GREEN4SEA Innovation Technology Award issued by SAFETY4SEA in 2021.

“AQUATERRAS” is Nippon Paint’s world’s first self-polishing paint that does not contain biological inhibitors. It adopts an environmentally friendly formula and does not contain bactericidal substances and active ingredients. Nippon Paint R&D Center conducted tests on marine life such as fish, bivalves, crustaceans and seaweed, and the results showed that “AQUATERRAS” will not cause harm or impact to them. Not only that, unlike traditional antifouling coatings that rely on biocides such as copper or cuprous oxide, the “AQUATERRAS” coating does not contain biocides and has a smooth and flat surface. Its self-polishing hydrolysis reaction can cause the surface of the ship to become non-toxic over time. Smoother and effectively self-polishing during vessel movement. At the same time, it also uses advanced medical anti-thrombosis polymer technology, with hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro-domain structures, which can actively repel the attachment of organisms on its surface, thereby improving the performance and efficiency of the ship, reducing biological fouling and ecological hazards caused by migration.

In addition, the innovative technology used in “AQUATERRAS” helps the hull improve operational efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs. By comparing fuel consumption and annual average speed recorded between fixed points, Nippon Paint found that “AQUATERRAS” can save up to 10% of fuel compared with traditional products. At present, “AQUATERRAS” has been widely used in various types of ships, such as container ships, oil tankers, bulk carriers and passenger ships. Many large shipyards have also begun to use “AQUATERRAS” to repair ships. This year, “AQUATERRAS” has also been officially applied to RIVIERA, a luxury cruise ship operated by Oceania Cruises, a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH, formerly known as “Norwegian Cruises”), helping it further achieve energy conservation and emission reduction while creating A more sustainable marine environment.

For many years, Nippon Paint has been committed to the development and production of ship coatings that can effectively protect ships and the marine environment, contributing to the sustainable development of the global maritime industry. At present, Nippon Paint China’s business has fully covered new construction, dock repair and maintenance, and has established cooperation with many well-known domestic shipyards. Nippon Paint’s antifouling and other systems have been used on more than 40,000 ships, from oil tankers and container ships to cruise ships and yachts. In the future, relying on technological advantages shared globally, Nippon Paint will continue to promote technological innovation in marine coatings, adhere to the sustainable development concept of “sustaining the beauty of the earth”, protect the global marine environment, and contribute to the green development of the industry.