At the recently concluded Second Ship Green Coating and Surface Treatment Technology Seminar in Guangzhou, the globally renowned marine coatings supplier Hempel made a brilliant appearance with its core innovative antifouling products and concepts. Closely aligned with the development direction of green, intelligent, and integrated shipbuilding industry outlined in the “15th Five-Year Plan,” Hempel powerfully responded to the industry’s urgent need for green transformation and technological breakthroughs with its high-performance silicone antifouling paint Hempaguard NB, specifically designed for newbuilds, and a series of recent milestone achievements, becoming a focal point of attention at the event.
Focusing on Newbuild Pain Points: Hempaguard NB Silicone Antifouling Paint Leads Coating Paradigm Innovation
At the seminar, Hempel prominently showcased its revolutionary Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint solution. This product precisely addresses the long-standing efficiency and cost pain points of newbuilds: traditional high-performance antifouling paints are often limited by application conditions, requiring additional dry-docking before or after vessel delivery, which not only extends the schedule but also increases costs.
The innovation of Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint lies in its perfect adaptation to the construction rhythm and atmospheric environment of newbuilds. It can be applied directly during the block assembly stage, eliminating the need for a second dry-docking. This means the vessel possesses excellent antifouling and energy-saving performance from its very first day of operation. This solution not only saves time and costs for the shipyard but also fundamentally secures long-term operational advantages for the shipowner, effectively reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions during navigation, laying a solid foundation for green operations throughout the vessel’s lifecycle.
Solid Footprint: 6000 Vessel Application Milestone and Proven Emission Reduction Results
The launch of Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint is built upon the tremendous success of Hempel’s Hempaguard series of silicone antifouling paints. Just before this seminar, Hempel celebrated the milestone of the 6000th global application of Hempaguard silicone antifouling paint at the Posidonia 2026 international maritime exhibition. This number not only represents widespread market recognition but also translates into tangible environmental and economic benefits:
● Over 43 million tonnes of CO2 emissions reduced
● Over €7 billion in fuel costs saved
● Over 6,000 tonnes of biocide emissions avoided
At the seminar, Hempel’s technical experts engaged in in-depth discussions with attendees regarding the application process, practical cases, and energy-saving and emission-reduction benefits of Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint. The new approach it offers, balancing construction efficiency, cost control, and environmental goals, received high praise from numerous shipowner and shipyard representatives.
Ma Zhenyu, Hempel’s North Asia Newbuilding Business Director, stated at the conference: “Hempel will continue to delve into green technology innovation in the marine coatings sector. We are committed to launching more products and solutions that meet industry demands, working together with partners across the entire industrial chain to promote the high-quality upgrade of China’s shipbuilding industry and contribute core strength to the low-carbon transformation of the global shipping industry.”
Strength Validation: Successful Application on Maersk Newbuild Series
The technical maturity and application reliability of Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint have been fully validated through collaboration with global shipping giant Maersk. As early as October 2025, Hempaguard NB was successfully applied to the first vessel, “TANGIER MÆRSK,” in Maersk’s series of six 9000 TEU newbuilds, followed by the coating of two other vessels in the same series in January 2026.
The third vessel in this series to apply Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint, “Tema Mærsk,” held its naming and delivery ceremony at the end of May 2026. Malgorzata Kolton, Executive Vice President of Hempel Group and Head of Marine Coatings, attended the ceremony and named the vessel as its godmother.
These milestone projects fully demonstrate that Hempaguard NB silicone antifouling paint can be seamlessly integrated into modern shipbuilding processes without affecting the launch schedule. Ole Graa Jakobsen, Head of Fleet Technology at Maersk, commented that successfully applying advanced antifouling technology during newbuilding is an important step towards improving the efficiency of future newbuilding processes. Yangzijiang Shipyard also believes this provides a valuable competitive advantage for the shipyard in pursuing efficiency and performance in future projects.
From the technical sharing at this seminar, to the practical experience accumulated from 6000 Hempaguard applications globally, to collaborative innovation with industry leaders, Hempel is actively paving an efficient, low-carbon development path starting from newbuilds.
If you wish to learn more about Hempel’s hull antifouling solutions, please follow the official WeChat account: HEMPEL海虹老人 or visit the official website for more information.
