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Safinah claims that the software monitors paint consumption and

VOC emissions on a continuous basis, thus enabling the shipyard to

assess its level of SED compliance. Moreover the automatic

generation of appropriate reports saves time and enables plans on

future compliance targets to be drawn up. The software also

enables a real-life database on coatings and their characteristics to

be generated. In preparing for particular repair jobs, the tender for

the coatings company can include the type of paint and the film

thickness. When the tender is returned with details of the possible

products, VOC Manager can estimate the emissions associated with

the use of each product.

Denmark’s Odense and Germany’s Meyer Werft have both been

using the software for some time. Feedback indicates that VOC

Manager has saved time and money and, in one case, allowed a

mistake on product use to be recorded and noted.

In-service upkeep a

constant concern

The ongoing requirement to ensure the good condition of ballast

tanks is a headache for most ship operators. And with imminent new

requirements on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, close

analysis of the products being used will be required.

After a lengthy cost benefit analysis, the US Navy opted for long-

life low VOC coating systems for its ship and submarine tanks and

reckons it will save many millions of dollars as a result. According to

the analysis, the Naval Sea Systems Command, supported by the

Joint Group on Pollution Prevention, identified a number of coating

systems including Sigma Guard BT, Sigma’s Edgeguard, Sherwin-

Williams Dura-Plate UHS and Jotun 591 which met its requirements

including low VOC and hazardous air pollution content.

The selected coatings are now being used in certain shipboard

applications such as in sea water ballast tanks and well deck

overheads. Use of the new systems, says the Navy report, will

enable yesterday’s short-service-life coatings to be replaced with

much longer 20-year life products. Previously ballast tanks were on

five- to seven-year life cycles, largely due to issues such as poor

surface preparation leading to surface contamination and moisture

condensation. Other factors included poor management of the

environment during preparation and application, poor coating

coverage and poor quality control.

Using the new generation of high-solid products, the Navy has cut

the number of ballast tank coating operations from three to one over

a 20-year period, thereby saving on emissions. Other cost savings

have been achieved through a reduction in maintenance labour,

materials and hazardous waste disposal.

Schiehallion – a jewel in

Jotun’s crown

One of the challenges of FPSO construction or conversion is that

units are often intended to remain on station, often in very hostile

conditions, for long periods of time. Any requirement to take FPSOs

off site for refurbishment or repair results in literally millions of dollars

in lost production. Jotun’s Baltoflake range has been tried and tested

in some of the most demanding applications aboard such units.

The glass flake reinforcement is designed to provide an

impermeable barrier which excludes both oxygen and water. It has,

the company says, good adhesion properties that should provide a

maintenance-free system. The Baltoflake range has been around for

many years but has been steadily upgraded and refined over the

period. A process of treating the glass flakes, for example, has

enabled thinner coats to be used which, in turn, facilitates faster

curing and reduces expense.

Aboard the FPSO Schiehallion, at 154,000dwt one of the world’s

largest FPSOS, Baltoflake was used to coat the hull. In fact, Jotun

products were used throughout the purpose-built unit when she was

built at Harland & Wolff. Water ballast tanks were coated with two

Balloxy HB Light coats of 225 microns each whilst the underwater

hull, which altogether has six separate coats of Jotun products, was

finished with three 150-micron coats of AR SeaQuantum Ultra. Other

coatings used included Baltoflake Non-Skid on deck, Weatherguard

and Hardtop AS.

Schiehallion may be the jewel in Jotun’s FPSO crown but the

company has a substantial track record in providing coatings and/or

cathodic protection for both new and converted units, including

FPSOs, FSOs, FSUs, FPDUs and FPUs. Altogether Jotun has

provided paints and coatings for nearly 50 such units.

First of six for International

As any paint manufacturer will aver, there is no substitute for close

attention to coatings detail at the time of new construction. This has

never been more relevant than today, as new tighter VOC emission

rules will require greater accountability from repair facilities and the

likelihood of higher coating repair costs as a result.

The 90,000 gross ton Norwegian Jewel, the first in a series of six

emmissions/internal coatings

Volume 3 – Issue 3