Sustainable high-performance marine coatings manufacturer GIT Coatings has launched its next-generation graphene-base hard foul-release coating, XGit-Force. This launch marks a fundamental shift in the maritime industry, moving beyond traditional biocide-based antifouling protection to a new era of hull performance management.
With first applications already underway across a global fleet, XGit-Force is engineered to unlock up to 10% fuel and emissions savings and is expected to offer the highest return on investment of any antifouling coating on the market. With this launch, GIT Coatings hopes to prove that peak operational efficiency no longer requires polluting the marine environment.
Mo AlGermozi, GIT Coatings CEO, said: “XGit-Force represents the natural evolution of our graphene-based solutions and a definitive step toward a new era of proactive hull performance management,. 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 decarbonisation goals into a reliable, competitive advantage.”
XGit-Force is the result of long research and development, involving testing and trials in different fouling pressure conditions worldwide. The 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 maximises foul-release performance.
Building on this foul-release foundation, XGit-Force is said to deliver 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.
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 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 is intended to ensure that implementing a proactive cleaning regime is a seamless, data-driven, and hassle-free transition for any global fleet.
Over the coming months, XGit-Force will be applied to more than 10 vessels, including LPG tankers, dry bulk vessels, ro-ro vessels, container ships, and cruise ships. These applications across major international trading routes are considered to represent a significant milestone in the maturation of graphene-based coatings, proving the technology’s readiness for demanding global operations.
This rollout is the result of iterative development and real-world learning across more than 600 vessels worldwide. By integrating feedback from early-generation applications into this next-generation system, GIT Coatings says it has refined XGit-Force to meet the performance standards required by today’s shipowners, looking to transform decarbonisation goals into a reliable, competitive advantage.
Image: XGit-Force is intended for a range of deep-sea ships (source: GIT Coatings)
