Hempel launches Hempaguard NB silicone hull coating for newbuilds

Photo: Hempel

Until now, applying advanced silicone hull coatings during the newbuilding process has posed logistical challenges for shipowners. Conventional silicone solutions require controlled environments and are typically applied either pre-delivery or in post-delivery drydockings, both of which approaches cause delays and additional costs. Now, though, Hempel has expanded its Hempaguard range of hull coatings with the launch of Hempaguard NB – a breakthrough high-performance silicone hull coating, designed specifically for newbuild vessels.

“Hempaguard NB brings the industry’s most advanced silicone hull coating technology, proven to deliver significant fuel savings and reduce emissions, into the newbuilding phase for the very first time,” says Alexander Enström, executive vice president and head of marine at Hempel A/S. “Developing Hempaguard NB meant reimagining how silicone coatings are formulated for the construction phase, delivering a solution that maintains long-term performance without the need for post-delivery application. It’s a technical breakthrough that ensures vessels are equipped with proven, high-efficiency fouling protection from the very first day at sea.”

Hempel says that Hempaguard NB combines the tried-and-tested performance of Hempaguard X7 with a revolutionary new silicone topcoat, made specifically for newbuilds. This means that it offers the same performance as Hempaguard X7, which has had nearly 5,000 applications and independently verified fuel-saving and decarbonization benefits. In 2024, DNV verified that Hempaguard X7 reduces fuel consumption by 19% and speed loss by 1.4%. Since then, additional performance data has become available, supporting a further reduction in the reported speed loss percentage. Shipowners can now expect up to 20% fuel savings, only 1.2% average speed loss and 120 fouling-free idle days

Hempaguard NB plays a part in Hempel’s Full Picture Hull Management approach – a comprehensive, data-driven perspective on hull performance, backed by more than a century of experience and close collaboration with the maritime industry.