Nippon Paint Marine has completed its latest application of Aquaterras coating to ‘AIDAdiva’, operated by Carnival Group company AIDA Cruises.
This application represents the 16th vessel in the Carnival group to fully be applied with Nippon’s biocide-free coating. In 2022, based on previous experience, Carnival applied Aquaterras to AIDAdiva to provide high performance, biocide-free underwater hull protection. At the time, AIDAdiva became the third Carnival cruise vessel to be fully coated with Aquaterras.
Although the ship operated in challenging itineraries in both the Caribbean and in Europe, it was seen on arrival in dock at Marseille in 2025 that AIDAdiva’s vertical bottom was completely free of any fouling, despite it not having any underwater cleaning during the ship’s three-year service period. The arrival in dock photos were taken before any high-pressure freshwater washing had been done.
According to Carnival Maritime, the maritime service unit for AIDA Cruises, the performance provided by Aquaterras’s protection from biofouling had reduced the vessel’s environmental impact by both lowering emissions and reducing propulsive power demands as well Aquaterras’s biocide-free composition lowering the ship’s impact on the marine environment.
During the global pandemic and the worldwide suspension of cruise operations, Carnival found that the hulls of the two vessels that had been previously fully applied with Aquaterras remained cleaner than other vessels in their fleet, even over the 18-20 month period before regular operation or cruising resumed.
Johan Wilckens, MD Nippon Paint Marine (Europe), said: “Since its release, Aquaterras has provided outstanding fouling protection, reduced emissions and costs, whilst also lowering the impact on the marine environment. The effect of our products on vessels like those seen on AIDAdiva, showcase the industry leading capability of our R&D team, who maintain an unrelenting commitment to enhancing our coating technology to ensure our solutions align with the evolving needs of our customers.”
Carnival Corporation is said to be extremely pleased with the results of Aquaterras, which has eliminated the need to carry out any in-service cleaning. As a biocide-free product, the coating supports Carnival’s aim to become as environmentally friendly as possible. The hull’s condition has resulted in reduced emissions without compromising on vessel performance.
Released in 2017, Aquaterras technology’s hydrophilic and hydrophobic microdomain structures provide high fouling performance, while its biocide-free composition protects the marine environment by eliminating the discharge of any metals or biocides into the seas.
Image: ‘AIDAdiva’s hull after three years of Aquaterras coatings, before cleaning (Source: Nippon Paint Marine)
