Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded the maritime industry’s first Enhanced Antifouling Type Approval to GIT Coatings.

The development of this new type of approval sets a new standard for antifouling coatings to address the growing need for effective biofouling management, which contributes to decarbonisation efforts and protecting marine ecosystems.

LR is the first classification society to offer this service, which provides ship owners and operators with validated assurance for antifouling coatings’ performance in relation to hull cleanliness and smoothness, pre- and post-grooming operations. Grooming is the periodical removal of microfouling (slime) to prevent the development of macrofouling on ships’ hulls.

The award has been granted to GIT Coatings for their XGIT-Fuel graphene-based hull coating, which is currently the only coating with this approval for grooming on the market. The Enhanced Type Approval ensures that XGIT-Fuel maintains its performance before and after grooming, with no roughness increase and no thickness loss, and is compatible with the agreed grooming frequency based on the vessel's biofouling risk assessment.

The coating creates an ultra-low friction surface to increase vessel performance while reducing emissions, without the use of biocides, silicon oils or toxic components. This ‘out of dock’ performance is maintained during the docking cycle using a hull grooming programme, which removes biofoul from the hull without damaging or delaminating its paint and does not cause discharge of organisms into the marine environment.

Heather Hughes, Team Leader for Non-Metallics and Coating Materials at Lloyd’s Register, said: “This new type of approval to GIT is an important next step to improving the maritime industry’s understanding of sustainable coating solutions as it moves towards a more environmentally friendly future.

“For our customers, providing an understanding of the right choice of coating to maintain their hull cleanliness, while assuring them of the continued performance after hull grooming is vital. LR is the only classification service who can provide this understanding, which is underpinned with rigorous and validated testing.”

Philippos Sifiris, Head of Market Strategy & Vessel Performance at GIT Coatings, said: “Receiving the first enhanced type approval from Lloyds Register is a major milestone for us. It validates the effectiveness of our hard foul release technology in keeping an always clean hull when combined with a hull grooming regime. In alignment with IMO’s emphasis on prevention, we are committed to continuing our work on sustainable biocide-free solutions that provide shipowners and operators with confidence in choosing the hull management solution of the future today.”

The Enhanced Antifouling Type Approval is in direct response to the IMO’s 2023 guidelines for the control and management of ships' biofouling to minimise the transfer of invasive aquatic species. While the IMO AFS Convention ensures antifouling coatings do not contain prohibited substances, it does not address performance or cleaning requirements, which are key to biofouling control.

Heather Hughes added: “Our new approval provides a crucial service in plugging this gap, moving it beyond statutory IMO compliance to help companies comply with rapidly changing legislation. As more nations consider implementing rigorous entry requirements to protect their marine environments, this approval will be invaluable for businesses seeking to comply with evolving regulations.”

Marciel Gaier, Chief Technology Officer at GIT Coatings, said: “XGIT-Fuel does not contain any biocides and does not release these harmful chemicals into the ocean. This aligns with GIT’s global sustainability goals and accelerates the industry's transition towards a cleaner, greener future with non-polishing, hard foul release, biocide-free coatings that help protect marine ecosystems.”

The Enhanced Antifouling Type Approval service will be presented at the 3rd GloFouling R&D Forum and Exhibition on Biofouling Prevention and Management for Maritime Industries in Korea from 4-8 November, where both LR and GIT Coatings will discuss the importancof enhanced antifouling solutions.

Source: GIT Coatings