General News
13 April, 2026
Shipshape rubber idea
A 12-year-old Cairns student just might have cracked a maritime industry conundrum with an invention that could prevent ship hull erosion and reduce rubber tyre waste.
Kartikain Mahindru’s idea – the ‘Vulcanised Elastomeric Coating (VEC)’– has now been secured with a provisional patent and awaits further development.
He has come up with a light-weight rubber coating made from 100% recycled tyres, which could be painted onto a ship’s hull to make it “fully waterproof and prevent rust”.
“The smooth and slightly slippery surface makes it impossible for barnacles to stick on. Once the vessel starts moving, they’ll just slip off,” he said.
“This increases fuel efficiency by reducing drag. Because the coating is so strong, it makes the critical areas of the hull more durable, which gives the vessel decades more longevity.
“It also drastically cuts down on maintenance costs since the ship won’t need to be dry-docked for rust repairs or barnacle removal nearly as often. This could potentially save shipping companies millions while cleaning the planet.”
So how and why did a 12-year-old year 7 student come up with such a concept?
Kartikain said he first became interested in ships when he was in year 3.
“I was lining up to go into class, and I heard someone say the word ‘Titanic’, and I asked what it was. And then when I went home, I researched it. And ever since then, I’ve just really liked ships,” he said.
His fascination for all things maritime grew through constant reading and research. He even has a Youtube page devoted to reels of the White Star line.
Then an idea just hit him.
“I was just chilling in my bedroom. It was wet outside and I looked out the window and saw an old Ford truck,” he said.
He noticed the rust and state of the vehicle, but that the tyre rims were intact.
“I thought, why don’t we put this rubber on ships? I did a lot more research and eventually invented the (VEC) rubber paint.
“Vulcanisation is basically the chemical heating process and elastomeric is basically the elastic. You know, the elastic properties of rubber?”
On 9 January this year, he secured his provisional patent for the concept with the assistance of his mum.
“We went online to IP Australia, and it took a bit of time, because it wasn’t too easy, but after an hour or two, we got our provisional patent,” he said.
Now he hopes someone might take up the idea and develop it further.
“Since I’m 12, I don’t have a science lab, so I didn’t actually test out the concept. I just came up with the idea.” And he owns it for 12 months.
CLN sought comment from local experts who did not reply.
