There’s a lot happening in the coatings sector right now where sustainability, innovation and transparency come to the fore.
Adam Fiander takes a look at the marine coatings industry and discovers what’s in store.
As the boating world becomes increasingly more aware of its obligations towards the welfare of the oceans and the environment, I was pleased to read that Fraser Yachts are one of the latest companies to have signed up to the new YETI, Yacht Environmental Transparency Index, with Frasers looking to evaluate an initial batch of 20 yachts from its managed fleet.

Born out of an idea that was originally discussed at the 2018 Global Superyacht Forum, a group called Water Revolution Foundation, based in Amsterdam, are behind the YETI software tool which was formally launched at the Metstrade Show (METS) in November last year.
Making YETI accessible to shipyards, designers, engineers, captains, crews, marinas, financiers, brokers, and suppliers, a demonstration of the software at METS highlighted key distinctions between YETI Lite and YETI Pro, which are the two versions available to users on a web-based platform, developed by the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN).
YETI software not only assesses a yacht’s carbon footprint in real-time, but a Lifecycle Assessment ranking can also be made. From the initial design phase and shipyard build stage, through operational use and subsequent refits, all the way to a theoretical end-of-life of around 25 years, or until such time that a major overhaul of a yacht becomes necessary.
This is not about casting suspicion or shedding blame on the CO2 footprint of existing yachts and it’s the opposite in fact. Participation is voluntary and it’s about using a YETI score ranking in a positive way, as a starting point in how a yacht’s environmental impact could, potentially, be improved.

While at least half or more of the energy consumption on a large yacht is down to the hotel load, it’s important not to disregard the benefit that good antifoul protection has on fuel consumption and even more poignant on long distance passages. Most ‘traditional’ antifoul manufacturers still use copper oxide as the active ingredient in their formulations, although the amount of copper used has certainly been paired back over the years.
One of the industry’s best known antifouls for small and large yachts is International’s Micron® 99, a premium Self-Polishing Co-Polymer type designed for professional use with multi-season performance in salt, fresh, and brackish waters.
Micron® 99 offers additional benefits to the environment when you consider that each can contains less solvent and more solids, so it goes further during application as long as you stick to the required minimum dry-film thicknesses given on the instructions, but its high spreading rate means you’ll simply use fewer cans in the process.

One company whose coatings avoids even so much of a sniff of copper is New Zealand based Propspeed, with coating systems for running gear, shafts, props, stern drives and, more recently, a product called Stripspeed for a more sustainable removal of Propspeed, Lightspeed for the protection of underwater lights and Foulfree for hull transducers.
While Propspeed works across the leisure yachting, superyacht, and commercial industries, third-party validated data demonstrated that, depending on usage, Propspeed can preserve fuel and reduce electrical draw by reducing the surface tension of a propeller.
Working in conjunction with mainly commercial ship operators such as professional fishing trawlers, Propspeed demonstrated that a silicon coating such as this, can reduce friction and therefore preserve fuel and reduce electrical draw depending upon use.
Netherlands based shipbuilder Padmos conducted a ‘before and after’ test in conjunction with Techbinder, a data-driven vessel optimisation technology firm, to analyse engine performance using data on the effect of shaft torque, RPM and overall use of power. The guinea pig in this case being Windroos, a 38 metre commercial fishing vessel that navigated a set course twice, one with and one without Propspeed applied on to the shafts and props. Sure enough a 7.5% reduction in fuel consumption and a 4.7% decrease in kilowatt usage at cruising speed suggests a correlation that a hydrophobic coating, such as Propspeed has the ability to reduce operational costs.
Another example of a silicone ‘foul-release’ coating is Hempel Silic One, a product I had personal experience with a few years ago, when I applied this along with seven other formulations on a 42ft Hardy owned by Raymarine for a long-term group test of different antifouls for a British marine consumer magazine. One of the larger trade suppliers of Hempel and International Paint is Van Dongen Verf BV, based in Middelharnis in the south of The Netherlands.

Commercial Director, Dennis Tuijnman, told me: “The market is still mostly focused on traditional antifoul products that perform well, but we are noticing a growing interest in more sustainable options. Our suppliers are also stepping up, developing, and offering new sustainable solutions to meet this demand.”
From my own experience, Hempel Silic-One takes a comparatively long time to apply, due to requiring five coats comprising primer, tie-coat and topcoats, but it’s ability at keeping the nasties at bay was very good indeed.
Also launched at METS last year, Hempel introduced Hempel Infinity, referred to as a ‘recharger’, that is said to renew the hydrogel in existing Hempel silicone coatings, giving a yacht another continuous full season’s worth of protection with very little fuss, and this sounds like a very good idea to me.
International Paint’s equivalent biocide-free silicone-based foul- release product is B-Free Explore®, but I don’t think it is for sale in every European country, so ensure to check availability depending upon where you are based.
Differentiating themselves from competitors by adding innovative products to their range, Van Dongen Verf now supply Exocoat Ceramic+, a ceramic, nano-coating mainly used on topcoats to repel water and grime and make cleaning the surface quicker and easier for professional crews. Due to its tough physical properties, the advice for applicators is always to keep a log of where and when it was applied and keep a note of how to remove it if required.
Not just a coatings wholesaler, Van Dongen Verf have trained staff on the road all the time, overseeing projects and offering advice in the use of coatings and how to apply.
Dennis said: “Besides providing paint we offer technical support from beginning to end, including a walk around to inspect a hull surface with customers before application. After the work commences, we check all parameters before applying the topcoat, such as primer and tie-coat film thicknesses and the hardness of filler systems with a Shore D test. After topcoats have been applied, we perform gloss readings to verify results, with the objective being to gain the full approval and satisfaction of our clients.”
These days more and more paint applicators find that a base coat followed by a clear gloss coat system is becoming more appealing due to enhanced application properties compared to traditional topcoats.

Major paint manufacturer, Jotun, for example, has recently expanded their top-coat portfolio by introducing their base coat clear coat system with MegaGloss BC, which is available in metallic and solid tailor-made unlimited colours.
Jotun Yachting Category Manager, Tracey Warner, said: “With designers and owners’ teams making more adventurous choices of colour on both the hull and superstructure, the requirement for a basecoat clearcoat system is crucial.
“It is the combination of shape of vessel, colour and gloss that gives the first impression, so choice of topcoat is extremely important as
it represents the quality of the entire paint job. MegaGloss BC will ensure a long maintenance interval and, in case of damage, is easy to repair by both professionals and crew.”
Being the size and stature they are within the global coatings industry, it was good to learn from Tracey that Jotun are actively involved in the world’s bigger climate discussions, by way of their participation in forums such as the recent COP29 summit, The Glofouling R&D Forum, HullPIC and PortPIC. And although discussions mainly focus on the general shipping industry, there’s every chance the voice of the superyacht and leisure boat market will still be heard.
If your coatings job is a particularly large and important one, say, for a yacht of 40m or above, a professional yacht paint consultant can offer an extended level of advice. At least that’s the opinion of Paul Bournas, from CCS Yachts in The Netherlands, with his 30 years’ worth of experience in the superyacht coatings field. Paul said: “It’s not only about the final outcome, it’s more about having the required route and solid paper trail in place to achieve a satisfactory result.
“The process normally starts with the planning stages, such as a tender survey and cost evaluation to determine the right paint system/ quality to be expected and manage expectations. After that comes the paint inspections and reporting stage.
“Next the paint application starts where we offer periodic checks throughout to ensure everything is being applied using best- practice methods in a timely and professional manner. We ensure that paint manufacturer guidelines and technical requirements are strictly adhered to and we scrutinise from start to finish.
“After completion, a final survey is carried out to ensure the final acceptance criteria has been met, and some years later, just before the warranty expires, we re-check the paint to ensure no defects or paint deterioration has occurred.”
Switching from European based businesses to the Middle East, the coatings and refit market in the United Arab Emirates appears to be in rude health.

Patrick Heslop, owner of Autore DMCCO, a yacht repair, coatings and refit business in Dubai, first came to the region in 2001 and told me: “I have been part of the superyacht repair industry since my early 20s.
“Coming from Australia, my journey began 23 years ago when I was assigned a two-week project to resolve issues on a yacht owned by the Ruler of Dubai, and I stayed on permanently to manage his fleet until 2012.
“During that time, I took over Autore, a company already established in the industry, which has since grown remarkably from a team of just 10 in 2012 to over 180 permanent employees, plus 50+ outsourced manpower today.”
Claimed to be the only boat repair company in the country that executes painting jobs for yachts over 50 metres, other services offered by Autore include teak replacement, machine and handcrafted upholstery, stainless steel fabrication and repair, composite and carbon fibre construction and repair, interior restoration and mechanical and electrical works and I asked Patrick what the positive and negative aspects were of being based in the UAE:
“The UAE has long been a prime destination for investors from around the world, thanks to its wise leadership, business- friendly policies and regulations, world-class infrastructure, and unparalleled safety. Dubai, in particular, is home to a significant number of individuals who represent the target market for the yacht and marine industry.
“Its strategic geographical location, surrounded by waterways, enhances accessibility for vessels from across the globe, making the UAE a hub for maritime activity and investment. Although, one of the challenges we face is the extreme weather conditions, that sometimes affect production and work timelines.”
Solid business practices, including a commitment to quality and investment in staff and training appears to have really paid off for Patrick, who will soon open his second Autore workshop in the Al Jadaf Shipyard, also in Dubai.
“Success is driven not only by technical expertise but by our unwavering commitment to corporate values. Over the years, we have earned the trust and recognition of exclusive high-profile clients and industry partners, a testament to our consistent delivery of top-quality service.”