Germany’s Steelpaint has re-entered the Indian market after 16 years, supplying its Stelcatec corrosion-resistant coating system for trial on cranes at the Port of Chennai. The coatings will be applied to RTGs and ship-to-shore cranes in partnership with New Delhi-based Kaptel Overseas.
Steelpaint director Frank Müller called the move a key step in the company’s global expansion. He said the Stelcatec system, already proven on equipment in Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven, could help Indian operators extend asset life and reduce maintenance costs.
India’s ports face tough conditions, with high heat, humidity, and salinity accelerating wear on steel structures. Müller argued that high-performance coatings should be seen as an investment. “Extending maintenance cycles means less downtime, greater safety, and higher efficiency,” he said.
Kaptel CEO Nishanth Maliyekkal noted India’s $1 trillion infrastructure roadmap and new port projects, adding that Steelpaint’s technology fits the sector’s modernization drive.
Steelpaint will showcase its solutions at INMEX India in Mumbai later this month, its first return to the exhibition in nearly two decades. The company expects the Chennai trial to pave the way for wider adoption across India’s ports and shipyards.
