Nippon Paint Marine launches AQUATERRAS 1100 to push biocide-free hull coatings into wider commercial use

Nippon Paint Marine has launched AQUATERRAS 1100, a new biocide-free hull coating that the company says is built for commercial ships seeking lower fouling resistance, lower fuel burn and cleaner compliance with tightening marine regulations. The launch, announced on April 2, 2026, adds a new product to the AQUATERRAS line and targets medium- to high-activity vessels such as container ships and pure car carriers.

HydroPhix and AFC are the core of the new coating

According to the company, AQUATERRAS 1100 uses HydroPhix, a micro-domain surface structure that combines hydrophilic and hydrophobic behavior to make it harder for marine organisms to attach to the hull. It also introduces Advanced Fouling Control, or AFC, which Nippon Paint Marine describes as a silicone-modified binder system that creates a smooth, glossy finish without biocides.

The coating also uses HydroCure, a self-renewing and self-smoothing mechanism designed to continuously expose a fresh active surface. Nippon Paint Marine says that should help preserve hull smoothness over time, which is the central performance variable for any coating marketed as a fuel-saving marine surface treatment.

Why ship operators will care now

Marine coatings are no longer judged only on fouling resistance. They are increasingly being evaluated as part of vessel efficiency, emissions performance and dry-dock maintenance planning. Nippon Paint Marine says AQUATERRAS 1100 is as easy to apply in dry dock and newbuilding projects as conventional antifouling coatings, and that early testing suggests compatibility with remotely operated vehicle cleaning.

The company also says the product carries a low-VOC formulation and is designed to comply with regulations in major shipbuilding markets including China and Korea. That matters because coatings that reduce hull drag can translate into measurable fuel savings over long operating cycles, especially for vessels with high utilization.

Commercial relevance beyond the lab

The launch is notable because it moves a biocide-free approach deeper into the commercial marine market rather than leaving it as a niche sustainability claim. Nippon Paint Marine says the AQUATERRAS range is the world’s first biocide-free self-polishing hull coating, and it has previously said the system can deliver up to 14.7% fuel savings, based on its own testing and independent work cited by the company.

For shipowners, the practical question is whether a coating can hold performance under real operating conditions, withstand mechanical damage and still fit existing application workflows. Nippon Paint Marine is betting AQUATERRAS 1100 can do all three, while giving operators a cleaner path to lower emissions at a time when hull performance is under sharper scrutiny.