Clean Ocean Coatings
Clean Ocean Coatings GmbH is a Hamburg-based materials company that sells Ecoating, a biocide-free marine hull coating built on the proprietary Polyramik® polymer matrix, to commercial ship owners, fishing fleets, research vessels, and offshore operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clean Ocean Coatings does
Clean Ocean Coatings GmbH is a Hamburg-based materials science company that develops and sells Ecoating, a biocide-free marine hull coating for commercial vessels. The product is built on Polyramik®, a proprietary polymer matrix combining nanostructured particles with ceramic and polymer properties, developed over 8+ years at Phi-Stone AG and licensed to Clean Ocean Coatings. Ecoating is positioned as a sustainable alternative to self-polishing anti-fouling coatings, eliminating toxic microplastic and biocide release while delivering a validated 9% friction reduction, 7% fuel savings, and up to 3x longer durability versus conventional coatings.
The company serves four customer segments: commercial shipping companies (the primary segment, including cargo, tanker, container, and bulk carriers), the fishing industry (accessed via the SEAGLOW consortium), research institutions operating marine vessels, and offshore platforms. It generates revenue through one-time license sales of Ecoating on a quote-based model tailored to ship size, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales driven by pilot projects and long-duration field trials with ship owners, supplemented by partnerships with research institutions (TU Berlin, University of Rostock, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Dr. Brill + Partner) and participation in EU-funded consortium projects.
The business is at an early commercialization stage. Founded in 2020 by Dr. Christina Linke (CEO) and Patricia Griem, the company appears privately held and bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and only one explicitly paid commercial pilot (University of Rostock, 2024). Strategic activity in 2024 — including the SEAGLOW consortium entry, TU Berlin performance validation, and bulk carrier testing with HJH Shipmanagement — points to a deliberate expansion of the evidence base and addressable verticals (fisheries, offshore, research vessels) rather than rapid scaling of contracted revenue.
Clean Ocean Coatings firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clean Ocean Coatings
- Legal name
- Clean Ocean Coatings GmbH
- Website
- https://cleanoceancoatings.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Clean Ocean Coatings GmbH is a Hamburg-based materials company that sells Ecoating, a biocide-free marine hull coating built on the proprietary Polyramik® polymer matrix, to commercial ship owners, fishing fleets, research vessels, and offshore operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clean Ocean Coatings industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Coatings
- NAICS
- Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551)
- SIC
- Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Offshore Coatings (IMAEAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Marine Coatings (IMAEAHAD), Coatings, Corrosion Protection & Anti-Fouling Systems (IMAJAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Clean Ocean Coatings is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clean Ocean Coatings business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Marine Coating Products: Sale of Ecoating products to commercial shipping companies for application on ship hulls. The coating is applied to ships to prevent biofouling, reduce drag, and eliminate microplastics pollution, providing fuel savings and environmental compliance benefits.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Clean Ocean Coatings product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clean Ocean Coatings manufactures and sells Ecoating, a biocide-free marine hull coating for commercial ships built on the proprietary Polyramik® polymer matrix developed by Phi-Stone AG. The coating combines nanostructured particles with a ceramic-polymer matrix to produce a uniquely smooth, durable surface that prevents biofouling, reduces hull friction by 9% (yielding 7% fuel savings), and lasts up to three times longer than conventional self-polishing coatings while requiring only half the number of layers.
Product overview
Clean Ocean Coatings offers a single core product called Ecoating — a biozidfreie (biocide-free) hull coating for commercial maritime vessels. Ecoating is powered by Polyramik, a polymer matrix technology developed by Phi-Stone AG that combines nanostructured particles with ceramic-polymer properties. The company also partners with automated underwater cleaning solution providers to form a closed-loop antifouling management system. No separate modules, add-ons, or SaaS tiers are described.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ecoating A biocide-free hull coating for commercial ships based on nanostructured particles combined with a Polyramik® polymer matrix developed at Phi-Stone AG. The coating creates a smooth, easy-to-clean surface that is up to three times more durable than conventional coatings, reduces hull friction by 9%, delivers 7% fuel savings, eliminates microplastic and biocide pollution, and is compatible with automated underwater cleaning systems. Sold to commercial shipping companies, ship owners, and maritime operators.
- Polyramik® Polymer Matrix Technology A proprietary polymer matrix technology combining ceramic and polymer advantages, developed by Phi-Stone AG and commercially deployed by Clean Ocean Coatings as the basis for its Ecoating line. It is the core IP powering the biocide-free antifouling coating.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9% reduction in friction compared to standard self-polishing coatings, resulting in 7% fuel savings
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Clean Ocean Coatings
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Clean Ocean Coatings technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Clean Ocean Coatings partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SEAGLOW ConsortiumcoreEU-funded project with 16 partners across EU, Norway, and Thailand. Clean Ocean Coatings contributes hard, fuel-saving foul-release coating to demonstrate green transition solutions for small-scale fisheries. Partners include Fraunhofer, SINTEF, RI.SE, and research institutions.
- Phi-Stone AGcorePhi-Stone AG developed the Polyramik® polymer matrix technology that forms the foundation of Clean Ocean Coatings' Ecoating product. This is a technology licensing/partnership arrangement for the proprietary coating formulation.
- Reederei BrarencoreReederei Braren has been conducting field trials of Clean Ocean Coatings for seven years, providing real-world validation of the biocide-free anti-fouling technology on commercial vessels.
- Dr. Brill + Partner GmbH – Institut für Hygiene und MikrobiologiecoreScientific partnership conducting performance tests including RotoMarin-Test, Taber-Abraser-Test, and static cleaning tests to objectively measure biofouling protection, mechanical resistance, and cleaning performance.
- University of RostockcoreCompleted first paid pilot project coating the research catamaran 'Limanda', enabling scientifically grounded data collection on coating performance in real marine research operations.
- HJH Shipmanagement GmbH & Co. KGminorTesting Ecoating on the bulk carrier 'STARNES' under extreme harbor conditions to validate mechanical resistance and durability performance in challenging operational environments.
- Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin)coreCollaborative research partnership using TU Berlin's flow channel to scientifically validate coating performance. Tests conducted by Dr. Navid Najeri and PhD candidate Marvin Jentzsch under Prof. Paschereit's guidance, demonstrating 9% friction reduction.
- Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu KielcoreResearch partner where co-founder Patricia Griem originally developed the coating technology through multiple research projects before commercialization.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clean Ocean Coatings competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Hycogel (anti-fouling hydrogel technology developers): Emerging-technology anti-fouling developer pursuing biocide-free, hydrogel-based hull solutions with similar sustainability positioning. Comparable as a fellow early-stage challenger targeting the same regulatory and fuel-efficiency pain points in commercial shipping.
- Cathelco: UK-based provider of marine corrosion protection and biofouling prevention systems, including copper-based and emerging biocide-free solutions for commercial and offshore vessels. Comparable as a niche alternative-antifouling specialist pursuing similar shipping customers.
- Subsea Industries (Ecospeed): Belgian specialty coating maker (Ecospeed, Ecolock) producing biocide-free hard hull coatings specifically marketed as alternatives to traditional anti-fouling systems. The closest niche peer to Clean Ocean Coatings by value proposition and customer segment.
- Graphenano Marine (Graphenstone): Spanish graphene-enhanced coatings developer extending graphene chemistry into marine hull applications. Comparable as a small advanced-materials entrant pursuing biocide-free, high-performance hull coatings for commercial shipping.
Broad incumbents
- AkzoNobel (International Paint): Owner of the International Paint marine brand (Intercept, Intersleek foul-release lines), the historical reference standard for commercial shipping antifouling. Directly comparable as the incumbent most shipowners benchmark against, with overlapping biocide-free technology roadmap.
- Jotun A/S: Norwegian multinational with a leading marine coatings division (SeaQuantum, SeaLion) and a deep installed base on commercial vessels worldwide. Highly comparable target customer and product category, and a primary competitor for biocide-free hull coating specifications.
- PPG Industries: Global coatings manufacturer with a marine segment (PPG Protective & Marine Coatings) serving shipyards and commercial fleets. Comparable in product category and customer base, with a broad incumbency advantage even if marine is not its primary focus.
- Hempel A/S: Global marine coatings leader headquartered in Denmark with broad portfolio including silicone foul-release products (e.g., Globic series). Directly comparable as the incumbent Clean Ocean Coatings must displace, with similar end customers (commercial shipping) and overlapping anti-fouling chemistry.
Direct peers
- Chugoku Marine Paints: Japan-based marine coatings specialist focused almost exclusively on anti-fouling, anticorrosive, and hull systems for commercial shipping. Highly comparable in product specialization, and one of the most credible niche incumbents for Clean Ocean Coatings to differentiate against.
- Kansai Paint (Marine Coatings): Marine coatings arm of Kansai Paint, with established foul-release and self-polishing product lines serving Asian and global commercial shipping customers. Directly comparable in marine anti-fouling product positioning and B2B shipyard sales motion.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clean Ocean Coatings social profiles
Digital presenceClean Ocean Coatings financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clean Ocean Coatings leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Clean Ocean Coatings funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clean Ocean Coatings M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clean Ocean Coatings
What does Clean Ocean Coatings do?
Clean Ocean Coatings manufactures and sells Ecoating, a biocide-free marine hull coating for commercial ships built on the proprietary Polyramik® polymer matrix developed by Phi-Stone AG. The coating combines nanostructured particles with a ceramic-polymer matrix to produce a uniquely smooth, durable surface that prevents biofouling, reduces hull friction by 9% (yielding 7% fuel savings), and lasts up to three times longer than conventional self-polishing coatings while requiring only half the number of layers.
Is Clean Ocean Coatings a public or private company?
Clean Ocean Coatings is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Clean Ocean Coatings founded?
Clean Ocean Coatings was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Clean Ocean Coatings based?
Clean Ocean Coatings is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Clean Ocean Coatings make money?
One revenue line is on record: marine Coating Products.
Who are Clean Ocean Coatings's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Hycogel (anti-fouling hydrogel technology developers), Cathelco, Subsea Industries (Ecospeed) and Graphenano Marine (Graphenstone). Broad incumbents are AkzoNobel (International Paint), Jotun A/S, PPG Industries and Hempel A/S. Direct peers are Chugoku Marine Paints and Kansai Paint (Marine Coatings).
Does Clean Ocean Coatings have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clean Ocean Coatings.
What industry is Clean Ocean Coatings in?
Clean Ocean Coatings's product category is Marine Coatings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAGAD, Marine & Offshore Coatings, with a secondary code of IMAEAHAD, Marine Coatings. Its NAICS code is 32551 and its SIC code is 2851.