Carnival Corporation has applied the Aquaterras biocide-free coating to its 16th vessel, the AIDAdiva, following the ship’s latest drydock.

The coating, provided by Nippon Paint Marine, is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental protection across its fleet.

Initially applied in 2022, the AIDAdiva was the third Carnival ship to receive Aquaterras. After three years of service, the vessel’s hull showed no biofouling upon arrival in Marseille in 2025, despite not undergoing underwater cleaning during the timeframe, the company said in a statement. 

The company stated that the Aquaterras coating has effectively reduced environmental impact by lowering emissions and energy consumption for propulsion. Additionally, during the global pandemic, vessels coated with Aquaterras remained significantly cleaner than other ships in the fleet, even after long periods of inactivity, the company added.

Johan Wilckens, managing director at 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 showcases 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.” 

A spokesperson for Carnival Corporation said: “We were extremely pleased with the results of Aquaterras. Its outstanding performance eliminated the need to carry out any in-service cleaning, and as a biocide-free product, the coating supports our ambition to become as environmentally friendly as we possibly can. Furthermore, due to the hull’s excellent condition, we have been able to reduce fuel emissions in our operations without compromising on vessel performance.”  

Introduced in 2017, iAquaterras is a fouling protection technology that uses hydrophilic and hydrophobic microdomain structures to enhance fouling performance. Its biocide-free composition prevents the release of metals or biocides into the marine environment.