GIT Coatings launches new XGIT-FORCE hard foul-release coating

Image: GIT Coatings

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based GIT Coatings has launched its next-generation graphene-base hard foul-release coating: XGIT-FORCE

According to GIT Coatings, the new coating is engineered to unlock up to 10% fuel savings and provide the highest return on investment of any antifouling coating on the market. First applications are already underway across a global fleet.

“XGIT-FORCE represents the natural evolution of our graphene-based solutions and a definitive step toward a new era of proactive hull performance management,” said Mo AlGermozi, CEO of GIT Coatings. “By listening closely to our customers and integrating years of real-world learning, we have refined a technology that is mature, reliable, and biocide-free. This launch is about providing shipowners with a high-performance solution that gives them the flexibility to actively manage fleet efficiency and turn ambitious decarbonization goals into a reliable, competitive advantage.”

Innovation

The new coating is the result of years of intensive research and development, involving testing and trials in different fouling pressure conditions across the globe. GIT Coatings’ proprietary dynamic phase engineered technology (DPET) combines smart surface chemistry with graphene-reinforced mechanical tuning to create a dynamic, amphiphilic barrier that inhibits biofilm formation and maximizes foul-release performance.

Building on this foul-release foundation, says the company, XGIT-FORCE delivers one of the smoothest surface profiles in the industry – providing a guaranteed 6% out-of-dock power gain compared to premium biocidal antifouling coatings – while offering the mechanical durability to withstand ice friction, fender impacts, and frequent cleanings. As a zero-leaching solution, it ensures shipowners can reduce fuel consumption and emissions without shedding toxic chemicals or microplastics into the marine environment.

Proactive hull performance management

Being “cleanable by design,” XGIT-FORCE aligns with the industry shift toward proactive hull cleaning as the most effective method for maintaining long-term vessel efficiency. This approach aims to keep hulls free from even light slime, which an IMO-published study has proven can increase fuel consumption by up to 25%. While the innovative DPET technology provides antifouling protection during idling and releases fouling while sailing, its resilient surface is specifically built to tolerate regular grooming and reactive cleaning without the degradation typically seen in traditional soft-foul release or ablative coatings.

Responding to a rising customer interest in proactive cleaning, GIT Coatings has established a dedicated advisory services department that provides an end-to-end hull performance management solution. This team assists with everything from developing vessel-specific grooming plans and identifying suitable cleaning solutions to sending fouling risk alerts and managing the process of cleaning approvals. This turnkey approach ensures that implementing a proactive cleaning regime is a seamless, data-driven, and hassle-free transition for any global fleet.

Immediate global adoption

Over the coming months, XGIT-FORCE will be applied to more than ten vessels, including LPG tankers, dry bulk vessels, RO/RO vessels, containerships, and cruise ships.

This rollout, says GIT Coatings is the result of years of iterative development and real-world learning on 600+ vessels worldwide. By integrating feedback from early-generation applications into this next-generation system, GIT Coatings has refined XGIT-FORCE to meet the rigorous performance standards required by today’s shipowners.