Wan Hai Makes Heat-Reflective Coating Standard Across 125-Vessel Fleet
Wan Hai Lines has adopted Nippon Paint Marine’s EVERCOOL heat-shield coating as its standard deck coating across its 125-vessel container fleet.
The shipping company began the fleetwide rollout in January 2025 after completing an onboard pilot evaluation and an expanded trial under different operating conditions. Nippon Paint Marine said the testing confirmed the coating’s ability to limit solar-driven increases in deck temperature.
EVERCOOL is a high-heat-shield polyurethane coating designed to reduce heat absorption on steel decks exposed to direct sunlight. By limiting heat uptake, the coating is intended to reduce thermal loading on deck areas and adjacent spaces, including navigation bridges.
Wan Hai conducted the initial evaluation in 2024 with technical support from Nippon Paint Marine. The supplier provided guidance on coating application and temperature-measurement procedures to help generate consistent performance data.
“The operational data collected during the trials was essential to informing our decision making,” Wan Hai said. “The coating showed clear benefits during low-latitude voyages.”
According to the company, crews reported improved conditions after the coating was applied to vessels operating in regions with high solar exposure. Wan Hai also reported that vessels were able to reduce the frequency of manual air-conditioning use in navigation bridges.
Nippon Paint Marine said the onboard measurements and crew feedback provided real-world validation of the coating’s heat-mitigation performance. The companies plan to continue using operational data and service feedback to support the development of coating technologies for shipboard heat management.
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