SIPG and Seatrade Maritime jointly held the 2023 Seatrade International Maritime Awards in Shanghai. Nippon Paint's world's first bioinhibitor-free marine coating "AQUATERRAS" won the 2023 Shipping Technology Award, fully demonstrating Nippon's innovative technical capabilities in the field of marine coatings. Nippon Paint China is a subsidiary of Lishi Group, founded by Mr. Wu Qingliang, whose ancestral home is Chaozhou, and its business has covered more than 30 countries and regions around the world.
Nippon Paint "AQUATERRAS" marine paint won the Shipping Technology Award
Founded in 1989, the Haimao Maritime Awards is the world's most prestigious maritime and shipping award, which aims to recognize enterprises around the world that have made outstanding technical contributions to the shipping industry. A total of 13 awards were presented at this year's award ceremony, including the Ship of the Year Award, the Shipping Finance of the Year Award, the Sustainable Shipping Award, the Port and Terminal Innovation Award, the Logistics Special Creativity Award, the Young Shipping Leader Award, the Multicultural Inclusion Award, the Global Outstanding Performance Award, the Shipping Technology Award, the Shipping Enterprise of the Year Award, the Corporate Social Responsibility Award, the Global Shipping Outstanding Person of the Year Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Shipping. After a rigorous selection, Nippon Paint Marine Coatings "AQUATERRAS" stood out for its green innovation technology and 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 the second professional recognition in the industry after "AQUATERRAS" won the GREEN4SEA Innovation Technology Award presented by the SAFETY4SEA in 2021.
"AQUATERRAS", as Nippon Paint's world's first self-polishing coating without biocides, adopts an environmentally friendly formula and does not contain bactericidal substances and active ingredients. The Nippon Paint R&D center has tested marine organisms such as marine fish, bivalves, crustaceans and seaweed, and the results show that "AQUATERRAS" does not cause harm or affect them. NOT ONLY THAT, UNLIKE TRADITIONAL ANTIFOULING COATINGS THAT RELY ON BIOCIDES SUCH AS COPPER OR CUPROUS OXIDE, "AQUATERRAS" COATINGS DO NOT CONTAIN BIOCIDES, HAVE A SMOOTH AND FLAT SURFACE, AND THEIR SELF-POLISHING HYDROLYSIS REACTION ALLOWS THE SURFACE OF THE BOAT TO BECOME SMOOTHER OVER TIME, EFFECTIVELY SELF-POLISHING AS THE BOAT MOVES. At the same time, it also adopts advanced medical antithrombotic polymer technology, which has a hydrophilic and hydrophobic micro-domain structure, which can actively repel the attachment of organisms on its surface, thereby improving the performance and efficiency of the vessel, and reducing the ecological hazards caused by biofouling and migration.
Nippon Paint Zero Biologics Marine Paint "AQUATERRAS"
In addition, the innovative technology used in the "AQUATERRAS" helps the hull to improve operational efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs. BY COMPARING FUEL CONSUMPTION AND AVERAGE ANNUAL SPEED RECORDED BETWEEN FIXED POINTS, NIPPON PAINT FOUND THAT "AQUATERRAS" CAN SAVE UP TO 10% OF FUEL COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL 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 STARTED TO USE "AQUATERRAS" TO REPAIR SHIPS. This year, "AQUATERRAS" was also officially launched in RIVIERA, a luxury cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Limited (NCLH, formerly known as Norwegian Cruise Line), a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line, to help it further achieve energy conservation and emission reduction, while creating a more sustainable marine environment.
Over the years, Nippon Paint has been committed to the research and development and production of marine coatings that can efficiently protect ships and the marine environment, and contribute to the sustainable development of the global maritime industry. At present, Nippon Paint Shipbuilding 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 applied to more than 40,000 vessels, from oil tankers and container ships to cruise ships and yachts. In the future, relying on the global shared technological advantages, Nippon Paint will continue to promote the technological innovation of marine coatings, adhere to the sustainable development concept of "sustainable goblin 'color'", protect the global marine environment, and contribute to the green development of the industry.