MSC Fits Robotic Hull Cleaning System from Jotun on Daniela

MSC and Jotun Expand Hull Performance Partnership

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has agreed with coatings maker Jotun to install the full Hull Skating Solutions (HSS) package aboard the container vessel MSC Daniela, deepening an existing relationship between the two firms. According to a report by The Maritime Executive, the system was fitted during the ship’s drydocking in China in June 2026.

HSS pairs Jotun’s SeaQuantum Skate antifouling coating with robotic technology that inspects and cleans the hull proactively, aiming to keep it free of fouling throughout the vessel’s operating life rather than relying on periodic dry-docking or reactive cleaning.

Why a Clean Hull Matters

Hull fouling is one of the most persistent drags on vessel fuel efficiency. Even light biological growth on the underwater hull increases frictional resistance, forcing engines to work harder to maintain speed and pushing up fuel consumption and CO2 output. Jotun and MSC frame the HSS installation as a way to address this continuously, rather than waiting for measurable performance loss before intervening.

Giuseppe Gargiulo, MSC’s Head of Newbuilding, said the company sees hull cleanliness as directly tied to its fuel-saving and decarbonization priorities. On the Jotun side, Key Account Manager Alberto Genovesi described the deal as the product of sustained collaboration and trust between the two organizations, while Tom H. Evensen, Jotun’s Regional Shipping Sales Manager, pointed to a broader industry shift toward proactive hull performance management as owners chase efficiency gains.

Jotun also noted that HSS has received independent verification from class society DNV confirming an “always clean hull” outcome for vessels using the system, with no measurable speed loss recorded.

Operational and Survey Implications

For ship managers and technical superintendents, systems like HSS shift part of hull maintenance from a scheduled, drydock-bound task to an ongoing, in-service process. That has knock-on effects for how hull condition is tracked and verified. Robotic cleaning and inspection generate frequent hull condition data, which in principle gives owners much better visibility into fouling trends between drydockings than the traditional practice of waiting for a survey or a noticeable speed-and-consumption deviation to trigger action.

That said, continuous robotic monitoring does not replace independent condition surveys. Owners and charterers still need third-party verification of hull and coating condition at key milestones — pre-purchase, prior to charter redelivery, or ahead of drydocking decisions — to confirm that in-service performance claims match the vessel’s actual physical state. As biofouling management increasingly intersects with emissions regulation and charter party fuel-efficiency clauses, documented, independently verified hull condition is likely to matter more, not less, even as onboard technology takes over routine cleaning.

A Widening Trend

The MSC Daniela installation reflects a broader movement among major fleet operators toward integrating coatings and robotics as a single, continuously managed system rather than treating antifouling paint and hull cleaning as separate line items. As fuel costs and carbon regulations tighten, more owners are likely to weigh similar combined solutions, making robust, independent verification of hull performance claims an increasingly relevant part of a vessel’s technical management routine.

Reviewed by Ibrahim Halil Ceylan, Marine Surveyor at Apeks Marine.