Jotun signs Carnival Cruise Line agreement for robotic hull cleaning

Carnival Cruise Line has signed an agreement with Jotun to implement the Hull Skating Solution, becoming the first cruise operator to use this robotic proactive hull cleaning technology. The system is being evaluated on Carnival Pride and includes a compatible hull coating, continuous monitoring, hull inspections, digital performance reporting and an always clean hull guarantee. Jotun cites independent DNV verification of an always clean hull with no measurable speed loss for vessels using the solution.

Key facts

Market context

Marine coatings are protective paint systems applied to ship hulls to resist fouling from barnacles, algae and other marine organisms, which otherwise increase drag and raise fuel consumption. Demand for these products is driven mainly by commercial shipping, cruise and ferry fleets, naval vessels and offshore platforms, with fuel costs and emissions rules shaping how owners spend on hull performance. Antifouling and foul-release coatings are typically formulated with epoxy, silicone or specialty resin binders, and their performance depends heavily on regular cleaning and inspection. Robotic in-water cleaning offers an alternative or complement to dry-docking, which can reduce off-hire time for vessels. For coating suppliers, services that bundle a compatible coating with monitoring and performance reporting can strengthen customer retention and differentiate them from competitors selling paint alone. Changes in how fleets maintain hulls can also influence repainting cycles and the mix of product demand over time.

Source: official release on jotun.com. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.