Category: Press Releases

Please click here to download a copy of this press release.

Five LPG gas carriers coated to date (one more in dry dock) as partnership validates how biocide-free graphene coatings, proactive cleaning and advisory support can work together as a managed hull performance system.

Singapore / Halifax, May 28, 2026

BW Epic Kosan (“BWEK”), a leader in LPG, petrochemicals and speciality gas transportation, has partnered with GIT Coatings to advance proactive hull management across selected vessels in its LPG fleet, with five LPG gas carriers coated to date (one more in dry dock) using GIT’s biocide-free graphene-based hull coating technology.

The partnership follows strong results from BWEK’s adoption of GIT’s hard foul-release coating, proactive cleaning using onboard robotic cleaning technology and dedicated advisory support. A case study presented earlier this year at HullPIC – 2026 followed one LPG carrier through more than 12 months of commercial operation, documenting both the out-of-dock performance gain and the ability to maintain a clean hull during service.

As BWEK continues to scale the approach, coating durability and cleanability remain central to making proactive hull management viable in operation. GIT Coatings has received Lloyd’s Register Enhanced Type Approval, validating that the coating maintains its performance after repeated cleaning.

“This collaboration is a strong example of how a new hull performance model can be validated and improved through real fleet operation,” said Mo AlGermozi, CEO of GIT Coatings. “BWEK has been a highly engaged partner throughout the process, and their operational feedback has helped us further optimize both the coating technology and the service model around it. Together, we have shown that proactive hull management can move beyond theory and become a managed operational process.”

From coating application to managed hull performance

The results were achieved through more than coating application alone. GIT’s proactive hull management advisory service combines vessel-specific planning, fouling-risk monitoring, inspection and performance reviews, cleaning recommendations, support with port approvals and continuous operational follow-up, including regular review meetings with BWEK and the cleaning technology partner.
Rather than relying on reactive hull cleaning after performance loss has occurred, proactive hull management focuses on planned inspections and removal of early-stage slime before more resistant fouling develops. This supports fuel efficiency and lower emissions to air, while reducing the environmental impact to water associated with aggressive reactive cleaning of biocidal self-polishing antifouling coatings.

Through the collaboration, BWEK and GIT demonstrated a practical way to manage hull condition during service, with regular visibility of hull condition and clearer planning around when and where action is needed. This supports BWEK’s focus on fuel efficiency, emissions reduction and operational predictability, while also reflecting the growing importance of hull performance in relation to fuel costs, CII and charterparty expectations.

“Our focus is on practical technologies and operational measures that support vessel efficiency and environmental performance,” said BWEK CEO Jakob Bode. “This collaboration with GIT Coatings has allowed us to evaluate a more proactive approach to hull performance management. The value goes beyond the coating itself; it is shown in the system around it and the collaboration required to make it work in daily operations.”

From low hull roughness to maintained performance over time

Following application, the vessel in the case study achieved extremely low average hull roughness (60-70 μm). This contributed to an out-of-dock power gain of approximately 6% compared to the previous coating system. Over the following year, inspection footage showed the vessel remained free of hard fouling, with early-stage fouling removed before it developed further and no visible coating damage observed after each cleaning event.

Building on the operational learnings from these vessels, BWEK has also adopted GIT’s next-generation XGIT-FORCE™ coating, developed with improved static antifouling performance and enhanced mechanical durability. The system is designed to support longer cleaning intervals and better resistance to reactive cleaning when required, while continuing to enable proactive hull management strategies. In 2026 the first vessel which was coated with XGIT-FORCE™ showed an average hull roughness of 38 μm which is extremely low roughness compared to industry standard.

Validating a new hull performance model in real fleet operation

The collaboration forms part of BWEK’s broader commitment to evaluating practical solutions that support operational efficiency, emissions reduction and environmental performance across its fleet.

BW Epic Kosan Ltd.

communications@bwek.com

About BWEK

BW Epic Kosan Ltd. owns and operates the world’s largest fleet of smaller gas carriers providing seaborne services for the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas, petrochemicals and other speciality gases. The Company controls a fleet of 48 vessels which serve the international supply chains of leading oil majors and commodity traders throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The Company has significant commercial and technical capability across pressurised, semi-refrigerated, refrigerated gas and petrochemical transportation, and aims to deliver customers the best solution for their transportation needs, along with leading service and operational standards. The Company is headquartered in Singapore, with Copenhagen as a regional office alongside teams in Manila and Tokyo.
For more on BWEK, please visit www.bwek.com

GIT Coatings

marketing@gitcoatings.com

About GIT Coatings

GIT Coatings develops and manufactures advanced graphene-based marine coatings for the global shipping industry. Headquartered and manufactured in Canada with stock points globally, the company provides sustainable, biocide-free, hard foul-release coatings designed to work together with proactive hull management and advisory support to help vessels enhance performance during service.
GIT Coatings’ patented technology replaces traditional toxic marine coatings with harder, smoother coating systems that resist fouling through physical surface properties, free of biocides. Its solutions are used across global commercial fleets on hulls and propellers, helping shipowners and operators maintain smoother surfaces, improve efficiency, and reduce overall energy demand.

The company integrates coating technology with data-driven advisory services, proactive hull management, and ongoing performance support to help customers monitor, maintain, and optimize vessel performance over time.

Since 2022, GIT Coatings has completed more than 600 vessel applications globally and has received independent validation from Lloyd’s Register.

For more on GIT Coatings, please visit www.gitcoatings.com

• Contract for 24 metre suction sail signed with bound4blue, the first time the technology will be deployed on an LPG carrier.
• Specialised eSAIL® technology allows for simple, safe and cost-effective non-explosion proof installation

Singapore, 9 September 2025: BW Epic Kosan (“BWEK” or the “Company”), a leader in LPG, petrochemicals and speciality gas transportation, has signed an agreement with bound4blue for the installation of a 24-metre tall eSAIL® suction sail on the 2007-built Helena Kosan. The autonomous wind propulsion system, to be installed in 2026, will allow BWEK to save fuel, cut emissions, reduce costs and simplify regulatory compliance, as the Company invests to support industry decarbonisation goals.

Investing in the future
“We are committed to investing in proven technology that supports and enables our drive to reduce operational environmental footprints,” explains Jakob Bode, CEO, BWEK. “We have so far introduced a range of innovations including ultrasonic transducers, graphene-based propeller coatings and advanced weather routing to cut emissions and empower efficiencies, in addition to actively participating in projects to advance the adoption of green fuels such as ammonia.”

“Wind power was identified as having potential and, after careful studies, bound4blue’s eSAIL® was selected as the system of choice. We look forward to benefitting from its simplicity and efficacy in action on the Helena Kosan from 2026 onwards.”

Safe, simple sailing
“The tanker and LPG market is a key growth area for bound4blue, so it’s fantastic to agree a contract with the world leader in last-mile delivery of LPG, petrochemicals and other specialty gases” comments José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO & Co-founder, bound4blue. “Our mechanically simple solution delivers unique benefits for the segment, with the ability to position the sail’s maintenance door far above the deck and thus entirely remove the system from hazardous areas. This means non-explosion proof units can be installed easily on a vessel such as an LPG carrier, or any other tanker, negating the need for more costly, complex ATEX-proof solutions.”

“When this simplicity is added to the proven performance and benefits of the system, which is also compact in size due to its exceptional propulsive efficiency, you have a technology perfectly suited to help owners such as BWEK meet ambitious commercial and environmental goals. We’re thrilled to partner with the team for this exciting project.”

Market benefits
The DNV Type Approved eSAIL® works by dragging air across an aerodynamic surface to generate lift up to seven times greater than rigid sails of the same size, delivering greater power through smaller vessel footprints. In doing so, fuel use and emissions are reduced, easing compliance with regulations such as EU ETS, CII, FuelEU Maritime (with additional benefits through the wind reward factor) and the newly proposed IMO GFI framework.

Recent orders for eSAILs® have been placed by companies such as Maersk Tankers, Marflet Marine and Klaveness Combination Carriers, with new installations completed for Odfjell, Eastern Pacific Shipping and Louis Dreyfus Company.

Plug and play
The installation will be carried out in a simple two-step process, with preparatory work conducted at a scheduled dry docking in 2025 and a ‘plug and play’ fitting of the unit the following year.

BW Epic Kosan Ltd.
communications@bwek.com

About BWEK
BW Epic Kosan Ltd. owns and operates the world’s largest fleet of smaller gas carriers providing seaborne services for the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas, petrochemicals and other speciality gases. The Company controls a fleet of 48 vessels which serve the international supply chains of leading oil majors and commodity traders throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The Company has significant commercial and technical capability across pressurised, semi-refrigerated, refrigerated gas and petrochemical transportation, and aims to deliver customers the best solution for their transportation needs, along with leading service and operational standards. The Company is headquartered in Singapore, with Copenhagen as a regional office alongside teams in Manila and Tokyo.

For more on BWEK, please visit www.bwek.com

About bound4blue
bound4blue develops automated wind-assisted propulsion systems as a turnkey solution for all shipowners and shipping companies seeking to reduce fuel costs and polluting emissions. bound4blue’s eSAIL® system is a validated solution for saving fuel and emissions, completely autonomous, with low maintenance and easy installation onboard, being the most cost-efficient wind propulsion technology today. It is suitable for Tankers, Bulkers, Ro-Ros, Cruise Ships, Ferries, Gas Carriers, and General Cargo vessels, regardless of their size or age. The company, founded in 2014 with a vocation clearly focused on the renewable energy sector in the maritime field, has its headquarters in Cantabria (Spain) and offices in Barcelona and Singapore. Since completing its first installation in 2021, the company has deployed its eSAIL® system on seven ships, with 12 more in its order book, representing more than 50 eSAILs®. Its growing client portfolio includes industry leaders such as Eastern Pacific Shipping, Maersk Tankers, Odfjell, Klaveness Combination Carriers, and Louis Dreyfus Company, among others.

For more information, visit: www.bound4blue.com

16 April 2025, SINGAPORE – BW Epic Kosan announces today that Charles Maltby is stepping down as CEO with effect from 1 June 2025. The Board of Directors has appointed Jakob Bode, current Chief Commercial Officer, to succeed Charles as CEO.

BW Epic Kosan has joined Hafnia and Símbolo as a partner in Foundational AI company Complexio.