As regulatory pressure intensifies and fuel costs remain volatile, shipowners are rediscovering one of the most reliable and controllable tools available for reducing energy consumption. Advances in hull coatings, driven by chemistry, durability and compatibility with modern maintenance practices, are turning the underwater hull into a strategic asset rather than a routine maintenance concern.

For many years, the underwater hull was treated as a fixed variable in ship operations. Its influence on resistance and fuel consumption was understood, but rarely interrogated with the same urgency as engine performance or voyage optimisation. However, as emissions and environmental regulations have strengthened in recent years, that approach is no longer viable. Today, hull efficiency sits squarely at the forefront of regulation, operating cost and technical performance, and is receiving a level of attention not seen for decades, but very much deserves.