Lloyd’s Register grants type approval to GIT coatings for hull coating

Lloyd’s Register has awarded type approval and technical assurance to GIT Coatings for XGIT-FORCE, its next-generation graphene-based foul-release hull coating.

The approval confirms that the coating has been independently assessed against relevant technical requirements and is compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships.

Developed by Canada-based GIT Coatings, XGIT-FORCE is a hard foul-release coating designed to create a smooth and durable hull surface that facilitates regular inspection and proactive cleaning.

The product reflects a broader industry shift toward continuous hull performance management as an alternative to conventional biocide-based antifouling systems.

Even light biofouling has been shown to increase fuel consumption and emissions meaningfully, making hull condition an increasingly important variable as decarbonisation targets and regulatory requirements tighten.

The type approval represents an early validation step within LR’s antifouling assurance framework, establishing a technical foundation for further assessment as in-service operational data accumulates.

The pathway mirrors that followed by GIT Coatings’ earlier product, XGIT-FUEL, which received the industry’s first Enhanced Antifouling Type Approval from LR in 2024.

Mo AlGermozi, CEO of GIT Coatings, described the approval as a validation of the disciplined development process behind the coating technology, and indicated that XGIT-FORCE is capable of delivering fuel savings of up to 10%.

The coating is already being introduced across a range of commercial vessel types, including LPG carriers, bulk carriers and container ships operating on major trade routes.

Heather Hughes, Team Leader for Non-Metallics and Coating Materials at Lloyd’s Register, highlighted hull performance as an area of growing strategic focus for shipowners seeking to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and framed the approval as part of LR’s ongoing engagement with emerging maritime technologies.

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