The Marine Coatings Market Picks Up Steam

David Savastano, Contributing Editor

While all coatings segments are always striving for improved efficiency and sustainability, the marine coatings market is perhaps the most interested in these standards. Regulatory pressures are increasing on the shipbuilding industry, and even a slight advantage can translate to better fuel efficiency. For example, a superior coating can lead to a cleaner hull, which cuts down on drag during transportation.

Vessel efficiency and decarbonization are important trends that marine coatings leaders are seeing. Jessica Doyle, Jotun’s sales director for shipping, said that the biggest trend is still decarbonization. 

“Shipowners are under increasing pressure from regulations to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” Doyle added. “As a result, hull efficiency has become a board-level issue rather than simply a maintenance concern. 

“There are some key technology trends we see,” Doyle noted, beginning with hull performance and fuel efficiency, as owners increasingly seek coatings that deliver measurable reductions in drag, fuel consumption and emissions. 

“Performance guarantees and digital performance verification are becoming much more common,” Doyle continued. “And we see that digitalization and hull performance monitoring, using ISO 19030-based analysis and data-driven maintenance planning, are becoming standard tools for fleet operators.”

Mads Bertelsen, director for data and technology for Hempel’s marine business, noted that there are a few trends that are shaping the market for marine coatings. 

“First, the marine coatings market continues to be driven by the close link between coatings and fuel efficiency, which puts high requirements on the performance of marine coatings,” Bertelsen said. “The IMO’s 2023 strategy targets at least a 40% reduction in shipping’s carbon intensity by 2030 and net-zero GHG emissions by or around 2050. In addition, the IMO’s proposed Net-Zero Framework also links emissions performance to an economic mechanism, increasing the financial value of efficiency improvements. As a result, there is growing demand for advanced antifouling technologies, digital performance monitoring, and solutions that support data-driven maintenance decisions. 

“Another trend is the focus on maintaining a clean and efficient hull, where biofouling is moving from a coatings issue to a regulatory issue, giving ship owners and operators another incentive to prioritize proven, high-performance solutions,” added Bertelsen. “Also, digital tools are increasingly supporting customers in understanding vessel performance and making informed maintenance decisions, thereby helping customers optimize efficiency, cost-savings and sustainability.”

“There is nothing new about the demand from shipowners for coatings solutions that support vessel efficiency and compliance, but in the face of tighter regulations, we see a clear trend of owners moving away from evaluating coatings purely on a cost-per-liter basis, and towards a performance-driven view that recognizes coatings as a true operational benefit,” Chris Birkert, marine segment manager, AkzoNobel Marine, observed.

“This is a compliance and performance-driven market, and owners are also recognizing that there probably isn’t a single fleetwide solution that is going to optimize performance,” added Birkert. “Appreciating that no two vessels operate in the same way when it comes to hull performance enables operators to examine the profile of each vessel at a more granular level. 

“This is made possible thanks to advances in technology, which are empowering owners with more access to vessel-generated data than ever before, including speed-loss data. Having this valuable intelligence enables a proactive step to manage hull performance. At the same time, this advance in data capabilities is mirrored by a closer, consultative relationship between us and our customers, drawing on their vessel data, our performance analytics tools such as Intertrac Vision, and of course the expertise and experience of our team.

“With these insights, owners can then develop the right solution for each vessel, from new build to consecutive drydock,” Birkert noted. “Finally, sustainability pressure remains just as important, and owners’ assessments increasingly need to consider their customers’ Scope 3 emissions, as well as compliance costs with regulations such as FuelEU Maritime and the EU ETS.”

Ariana Psomas, PPG global segment director marine drydock and new build, said that one of the biggest changes PPG is seeing involves a move to a more holistic approach to vessel efficiency. 

“Rather than considering coatings, application, maintenance, and digital tools separately, we connect them across the vessel lifecycle,” said Psomas. “At PPG, we call this our 360-degree approach to vessel efficiency. It starts with the hull. Premium hull technologies such as PPG SIGMAGLIDE and PPG NEXEON coatings help maintain a smoother, cleaner hull and reduce the energy required to move a vessel through the water compared to traditional fouling release coatings.

“We then look at how shipyards apply those coatings. Electrostatic spray application, or ESTA, improves transfer efficiency, helping reduce overspray and waste and improve application efficiency in the shipyard,” added Psomas. “Once the vessel enters service, the focus shifts to simpler onboard maintenance.”

Marine Coatings Market in 2026

Industry leaders note that the marine coatings market continues to be strong. Psomas reported that the marine coatings market continues to see strong growth. 

“Regulatory pressures, greater environmental responsibility and the need to improve operational efficiency accelerate demand for advanced fouling control coatings and more sustainable application technologies,” Psomas pointed out. “At the same time, owners continue to invest in decarbonization-driven retrofits to extend the operating life and improve the efficiency of existing vessels. Owners now include low-friction hull coatings, hull optimization and energy-saving technologies in planned drydocking scopes.

Psomas observed that this shift changes the role of coatings. 

“Owners no longer view coatings simply as a way to protect the vessel,” said Psomas. “Instead, they see them as part of a broader strategy for decarbonization and vessel efficiency. As a result, our role also evolves. We partner with customers to help improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions and maximize asset performance.

“That focus on efficiency extends to onboard maintenance,” Psomas noted. “We see growth in the seastock segment, where owners and operators seek to simplify onboard maintenance, reduce complexity and improve sustainability. Solutions such as the PPG ONE RANGE portfolio address these priorities, making everyday onboard coatings maintenance easier and
more efficient.”

Birkert observed that market demand this year has been shaped less by newbuild volume and more by the pressures on the existing global fleet. 

“First, regulation and fuel cost have converged,” said Birkert. “With EU ETS now at full 100% coverage for shipping, and FuelEU Maritime through its first compliance cycle, improved vessel efficiency via good hull performance has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a direct line on the operating budget.

“Secondly, owners continue to balance total cost across the docking cycle and headline prices – looking deeply at making the right coating choices for their fleet and trading profiles,” Birkert added. “Interest in high-performance fouling control, and in biocide-free technology in particular, continues. Buyers want performance matched precisely to how the vessel actually operates. That shift, from ‘best coating’ to ‘right coating for this vessel’s profile’, is a defining feature of the market in 2026.”

“The marine coatings market has remained robust in 2026, supported by a strong newbuilding in Asia, continued drydock activity, and increasing demand for solutions that improve vessel efficiency and reduce emissions,” said Doyle.

Bertelsen reported that the marine coatings market performance has been mixed between the different subsegments. 

“The newbuilding segment has remained active, supported by continued investment across the shipbuilding value chain, evidenced by the expansion of shipyard capacity,” Bertelsen noted. “On dry dock and sea stock, the market development has been more muted, linked with normal dry dock cyclicality and the broader market uncertainty due to continued geopolitical tensions.” 

Asia-Pacific Remains the Dominant Market

The Asia-Pacific region continues to be the strongest area for marine coatings, with China and South Korea among the key markets for new builds. 

“For new builds, demand remains heavily concentrated in Asia, with China, South Korea, and Japan accounting for the overwhelming majority of global tonnage under construction,” said Birkert. “Maintenance and drydock demand is more distributed, following the world’s major repair hubs across Asia, the Middle East Gulf, Turkey, and the Mediterranean.” 

“The marine market is closely linked between owners that are global, with Europe and Asia as the two dominating regions, and then China and South Korea, which lead in shipyards and coating application,” Bertelsen said. “China is leading the pack on both newbuilding total capacity and current capacity expansion. However, in the long term, we also see continued interest in shipbuilding and maintenance capabilities across several regions.”

Doyle observed that Northeast Asia remains the world’s largest marine coatings market, primarily driven by shipbuilding activity in China and South Korea.

“The strongest growth opportunities are currently seen in China, supported by sustained shipbuilding demand, India, driven by manufacturing growth, maritime infrastructure investment and shipyard expansion, Southeast Asia, benefiting from fleet growth and increasing regional shipyard activity, and the Middle East, supported by energy exports, tanker activity and maritime infrastructure investments,” Doyle noted.

Keeping Up with Environmental Regulations

Environmental regulations continue to be rolled out, and marine coating manufacturers are well prepared for new rules.

Doyle pointed out that Jothttp://www.jotun.comun continuously monitors global and regional developments covering VOC emissions, biocide restrictions, worker health and safety requirements, chemical classifications, carbon reduction regulations and green ship and green shipyard programs. She added that emerging markets generally follow with a delay, but the direction of travel is clear: stricter sustainability requirements, increased reporting obligations, and stronger emphasis on vessel efficiency.

“Shipowners now look beyond compliance,” Psomas noted. “They want solutions that can demonstrate improvements in efficiency and emissions while also strengthening the operational and commercial performance of their vessels. 

“This focus strengthens the need for independent validation and collaboration across the maritime industry,” added Psomas. “For example, RightShip has recognized PPG Sigmaglide 2390 and PPG Nexeon 810 coatings as verified Energy Efficiency Technologies that can improve GHG Ratings. Customers have since achieved verified rating improvements after retrofitting their hulls with the coatings.”

“We’re always monitoring regulatory developments closely and integrate relevant sustainability requirements into our product development and the solutions we provide to customers,” said Bertelsen. “For many years, Hempel has prided itself on delivering high-performance products, and we welcome the industry’s broader focus on improved fuel efficiency and lower environmental impact. Regulation related to decarbonization, biofouling management and environmental reporting is likely to remain an important part of the industry agenda as sustainability becomes an even greater industry priority.”

Birkert said that legislation is moving consistently towards safer, lower-impact products, which AkzoNobel is well
prepared for. 

“Our Intersleek platform has delivered biocide-free foul-release technology for three decades,” said Birkert. “As regulatory frameworks governing biocides and chemicals, including the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), REACH and Korea’s K-REACH, continue to tighten, and similar regimes are introduced in other markets, our foul-release range remains entirely outside the scope of these constraints.

“We also keep pace by making performance verifiable,” Birkert added. “This year, Lloyd’s Register independently verified the compliance of our vessel performance analysis methodology with ISO 19030, the global standard for measuring hull and propeller performance. That gives owners, charterers and performance analysts assurance that our speed-loss reporting is measured on a consistent, transparent basis, which is exactly what they need when performance data feeds directly into regulatory and commercial decisions.” CW