Ships are the main transportation system worldwide to transport merchandise and hence, are a key piece of globalization. Any possible problem with ships could generate problems in the world economy. Corrosion and biofouling are considered common issues associated with maritime components. From this perspective, Tributyltin (TBT) paint was the most used product before 2008, but it was prohibited since then. With this need, the multifunctional coatings seem to be a nice option to replace TBT. Zirconium (oxy)nitrides doped with Cu obtained by Magnetron Sputtering technology, could gather the desired properties in maritime applications. SS316L substrates were coated by their large use in the naval industry. Cu_xO_y and Zr(O)N coatings were deposited as control samples. Besides, the Deep Oscillation Magnetron Sputtering (DOMS) technology was used to obtain Zr_xN_y films. The properties of films were evaluated by SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, AFM, ICP-OES, Nano-indentation, scratch tests and OCA measurements. EIS and potentiodynamic polarization tests were made in NaCl (3.5% wt.) solution to simulate seawater exposure. Bacterial inhibition was assessed by halo tests. The results have shown that Cu did not react with Zr(O)N during deposition. Copper presence in Zr(O)N promoted voids among film’s columns limits (influencing other properties such as roughness, wettability, and surface energy) and affects the chemical inactivity of Zr(O)N against seawater. DOMS processing helped to densify the morphology and to enhance the corrosion resistance and hardness of ZrN. Also, Cu-ZrON film exhibited an antibacterial action after the chemical activation. CuO presence was crucial to get antibacterial behaviour. The obtained results show the first sight of the Cu-Zr(O)N films as a potential solution to avoid biofouling and corrosion under seawater exposure and hence, replace TBT paint in maritime components.