Op-Ed: From Dutch shipyard roots to global innovation

Photo Credit: PPG

Growing up in a Dutch shipyard family, I was surrounded by the grit and precision of marine construction. My grandfather owned an application company that coated vessels for more than 30 years. My uncle was a yard director. Paint, steel and long shifts defined our world. Although I didn’t initially follow the family trade, those early lessons in discipline and detail stayed with me.

Years later, I found myself back in the marine industry, this time working with shipyards in the Netherlands and Israel. When a question about electrostatic coating application (ESTA) surfaced from one of our technical labs, I was curious but cautious. The technique had been around since the 1950s and was well known in automotive and aerospace circles, but few believed it could work in the rugged, unpredictable environment of a working shipyard.

An astronaut’s vision lights the spark

The turning point came through an unusual request. A Dutch team was building a hydrogen-powered sailing vessel led by a former astronaut and engineer who championed sustainable marine innovation. Their vessel, a proof of concept in green propulsion, needed a friction-reducing, more sustainable coating. They asked whether the application could be done electrostatically, believing that reducing material waste would align with their sustainability goals.

The project took place at a small shipyard in the Netherlands. Their openness allowed us to trial ESTA in an outdoor but semi-sheltered setting. We borrowed equipment, adjusted pressure levels and tested the approach ourselves. The first spray was filmed on a phone. That shaky video launched global conversations across our internal teams and eventually convinced leadership to support a more formal effort.

From field trial to standard practice

Early trials in real shipyards required extensive coordination. Engineers, applicators, suppliers and shipyard managers worked together to test ESTA’s potential under actual conditions. What made this process work was not only the technology but the team’s willingness to adapt. Teams revised application techniques, documented environmental conditions and localized training to ensure consistent coatings performance.  

Of course, there were skeptics telling us it would never work in global yards, especially in China. Weeks later we got the first order to apply our premium hull coatings on five large commercial vessels. Weeks later, that same owner asked us to deliver the technique to apply our low-friction hull coatings on five larger commercial vessels. That was the moment when we realized ESTA was no longer an experiment but a proven, scalable solution ready to redefine industry standards.

Why ESTA matters

As ESTA moved from concept to common practice, it began delivering measurable value for ship owners and shipyards. ESTA does not fit every project, but when it does, teams can measure clear gains (compared to traditional airless application):

• Better control over film thickness and material loss
• Reduced masking and overspray result in a cleaner working environment
• Safer work environment for the applicators due to reduced overspray and less emissions
• Greater scheduling flexibility due to more targeted spray patterns
• Lower emissions and material waste

Owners and yards report up to 50% reductions in coating overspray plus time savings per docking as there is less time needed for masking and cleaning the dock afterwards.  To date, teams have completed electrostatic application on more than 200 vessels.

Case study: EDR Antwerp shipyard cuts overspray by 40%

EDR Antwerp Shipyard achieved a 40% reduction in overspray by electrostatically applying coatings to the underwater hull of the Ro/Ro passenger vessel Stena Transporter, operated by Stena Line. The project marked the yard’s second successful ESTA and demonstrated measurable gains in precision, efficiency and sustainability.

PPG’s fouling release coating was applied using electrostatic equipment, which uses charged particles to improve transfer efficiency and reduce rebound. Compared to conventional airless spraying, the process produced less overspray and waste. As a result, less paint was lost during application, and the surrounding dock area remained cleaner, reducing masking and cleanup time.

The advanced marine coating used on Stena Transporter was specifically suited to electrostatic application. This compatibility, combined with its low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions may contribute to lower emissions during application.

“Electrostatic application increases the weather window in which painting activities can take place, as well as reducing overspray significantly,” said Philippe Trouillard, commercial manager at EDR. “It’s impressive to see how the charged paint droplets are attracted to the vessel surface almost like a magnet. You only have to look at the dock floors at the end of the project to see how much paint has been saved from disappearing into the environment.”

EDR Antwerp continues to explore electrostatic methods for broader vessel types and projects, joining a growing number of yards evaluating new approaches to coating efficiency.

One of the most consistent observations from applicators suggests an improvement in working conditions. Unlike traditional airless spraying, ESTA often produces less airborne material. That can reduce the amount of paint particles in the air and lessen crews’ exposure to fumes and rebound overspray. Applicators working on ESTA projects have reported visibly cleaner clothing and masks, lower odor and overall more comfortable application experience. For a trade known for its physical toll, those are meaningful changes.

ESTA can also reduce the need for extensive masking and containment, which may help lower risks associated with scaffolding, cleanup and confined space access. The cleaner application process also allowed the team to observe reductions in associated labor and material costs.

The marine coatings industry has long relied on established application methods. Now, electrostatic coating application is transforming those traditions. ESTA represents a forward-thinking shift that unites precision, operational efficiency and sustainability to elevate how surfaces are prepared and protected.

Yet ESTA’s future will depend on continued collaboration within the marine industry. Together, we are redefining what’s possible, one vessel at a time.

Bert Adema is a PPG business development manager, ESTA, for Protective & Marine Coatings. With more than 20 years in the marine coatings sector, he focuses on driving innovative application technologies and helping shipyards and owners optimize coating performance.