Quarterly
Journal
of
SHIP HULL
PERFORMANCE Vol. 1, Issue 4
October, 2011
Albert Edelfelt, 'Boys playing on the shore', 1884. Reproduced with permission of the Finnish National Gallery.
Is the Writing on the Wall for Copper-based Antifouling Paint?
for a living planet
©
Advancing Research and Knowledge of Hull Corrosion and Biofouling Control
Tributyltin pollution on a global scale. scale. An overview of relevant and recent research: impacts and issues. A close look at restrictions and and legislation on copper and co-biocide based antifouling paints and a comparison with the cycle which led to the eventual ban of TBT.
The importance of ship hull coatings and maintenance as drivers for environmental sustainability
G.W.. Swain, Florida Institute G.W Institute of of Technology echnology,, USA.
Excerpts from a report commissioned by the WWF for action by the IMO prior to the final ban of TBT in 2008.
Managing the use of Copper-Based Antifouling Paints
Mridula Srinivasan and Geoffrey W. Swain.
Dr. Geoffrey Swain and the Team Team at the Center for Corrosion and Biofouling Control at the Florida Institute of Technology.
An interview with Howard Jess, Pain Paintt Inspector Inspector
The paint inspector's role in ship hull coating success.
An interview with Howard Jess, Paint Inspector
C
urrently working as an independent paint inspector specializing in the marine sector, Howard
Jess is a NACE Level 2 Marine Paint Inspector and a developer of commercially adopted innovative coating technology who has published a number of technical papers and spoken at many international events. Howard studied chemistry at the Glasgow College of Technology and has over 30 years of experience in the paint industry. He has overseen many Ecospeed applications, including the original coating of the British Antarctic Survey’s Ernest Shackleton in 2009, the Disney Cruise Line and Stena newbuilds in 2009 and 2010, and a number of other applications, small and large.
Ship Hull Performance (SHP): What does an independent paint inspector do?
Howard Jess (HJ): The main task of a paint inspector is to ensure that the
you buckle under pressure you are no good as a paint
client receives the best job possible. The client can be the
inspector. If you have only passed exams and have no
owner of the asset, the applicator, or even a paint
on-site practical experience you would be as well staying
company. This can result in challenging situations when
at home. There are qualified inspectors, and well
the inspector appears at a yard where he is not known and
qualified at that, out there who have rarely been on
proceeds to tell people, who may have been doing the job
site. Desk warriors not site dock warriors. I would like to
for many years, that their work is unsatisfactory. If there
see inspectors have a proven track record of on-site
are 20 workers who have been abrasive blasting steel all
inspections before they progress up the professional
night it can lead to some “difficult” discussions.
ladder.
Inspectors are quality assurance, QA, for the client but more and more I see us as being used as quality control,
SHP:
QC, by applicators and paint companies. When you’ve
In that case, how can you ever break in? If you need to
been in the same tank 10 times looking at the same type
have a proven track record of on-site inspections before
of poor preparation or application you know that there
you are really qualified to do the job, how can you be
is minimal QC on site. Without a properly qualified
trusted with an on-site inspection?
inspector how does the owner know what is happening to
HJ:
his asset?
As with all jobs you start at the bottom as an assistant to
SHP:
an already accredited inspector. Assisting the lead
What is the paint inspector's particular value and
inspector gives you a good insight into what to look for,
contribution?
what to inspect and more importantly how to handle what can be difficult, stressful situations. You do not become a
HJ:
hospital consultant overnight. You cannot become a paint
Immediately I would say their integrity and knowledge. If
inspector overnight. That said I’ve worked with some
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inspectors who are less than 25 years of age. That can be
corners by using certain techniques but Sa 2.5 in general
more of a challenge.
is the one for me. Techniques which do not re-establish or produce a good anchor profile are of limited value in my
SHP:
eyes. That said, sometimes due to environmental
When it comes to underwater hull coatings, rudder coat-
constraints or because of the presence of fragile equip-
ings, etc. do all paint companies insist that a paint
ment nearby, techniques other than abrasive blasting have
inspector be present for the job? If not, which ones do and
to be used.
which don't? What are your feelings about it?
SHP: HJ:
Can you compare the various types of coatings available
Most paint companies will supply some form of
for the underwater hull from the paint inspector's
inspection on site. Not all are there when application
viewpoint? (AF/SPC. FR, STC, any others). This would
takes place. I’m not going to mention who but I feel that
be from the point of view of quality of erosion/corrosion
some companies short change their clients. I’m sure that
protection, usefulness for fouling control and fuel cost
clients/end-users would like some companies to do more.
reduction and any other factors but not necessarily cost.
Then again, perhaps some companies do not have the technical assets to assist in every job. Nor commercially
HJ:
do they wish to go into a yard which is buying their paint
As an inspector one area which can cause concern is the
and tell them that their work is not satisfactory.
ease of repair. In the present economic climate where owners can change routings, use slow steaming or even
SHP:
lay up their ships, the choice of underwater hull coatings
How do you make sure you remain “independent” and
can be daunting and if wrong choices are made the results
work for the client rather than for the paint company?
can be costly. Personally, I would go for a product with minimal number of coats, a good history, ease of
HJ:
application and excellent foul prevention in a range of
The client is who ever pays my invoice. That said a good
climates. Note I don’t use the term “anti-fouling” as this
inspector will work with all parties to ensure that a good
suggests to me some form of chemical attack against
job is accomplished.
marine organisms. More and more countries will insist on “toxic-free” hull coatings before ships enter their waters.
SHP:
I’m of course thinking of the West Coast of USA and the
Tell me about preparation for painting. What do you consider to be the best practice for underwater hull preparation for paint? Can you explain?
HJ: I’m a Sa 2.5 type of guy. Do not compromise on preparation as failure to prepare correctly will cause premature service life of a coating system. I’ve been involved in the coatings business for over 30 years and have seen many “wonder” coatings come and go. “We have a wonderful/novel/new/blahblah coating which is surface tolerant.” We’ve heard it all before and how many last in volume production for more than a few years? Whereas the older tried and tested products and preparation menthods supply good service for many years. There was a trend towards less aggressive preparation or easier preparation. It can be very tempting to cut
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SHP: Do you have a viewpoint on the toxicity of underwater hull coatings, how important it is, whether leaching biocides into the water is acceptable or not? If so, could you expound?
HJ: There is a swing away from “toxic” hull coatings and has been for some time now. As more countries embrace the various types of aquaculture to increase protein production I’m sure that most if not all leaching coatings, no matter what they leach, will eventually be banned.
SHP: Is there a difference in ease of application between the various coatings?
HJ: I’m sure that one of the big issues for inspectors is the huge variance between the quality of applicators worldwide. Not just in different regions but even in the same yard. In fact I’ve seen excellent painter work on the port side of a vessel and a disaster on the starboard side. I guess that’s why inspectors have so much work. With the odd exception most coatings are very similar to apply. Great Lakes. I’m sure that the Baltic countries will be
SHP:
looking at this too.
What's best for icegoing vessels or icebreakers?
SHP: Can you compare costs in terms of total cost of ownership
HJ:
for these various coating types?
Without a doubt, glassflake coatings.
HJ:
SHP:
This is a complete topic of its own. Less fouling equals
Have you noticed a difference between coatings when it
better fuel consumption and shorter dockings. Shorter
comes to protection from cavitation damage?
dockings equal less off-hire costs. An interesting question but I doubt if anyone would have enough data to make a
HJ:
definitive statement. But it is obvious that less fouling is
I have only seen good results with glassflake products.
beneficial commercially. Taking the technicalities out of the equation, in my
SHP:
view the greatest advantage in using a glassflake coating
Anything else you would like to say about hull coatings in
is cost. Two applications means only 2x painters’ costs.
general or any aspect of the subject in particular?
When using other “conventional” systems we could be talking about painters’ costs x 7. Do the maths! Add to
HJ:
that reduced repair work meaning less time in drydock,
Only now are asset owners or management companies
less time off-hire and increased fuel efficiency and the
seeing the value of hull coatings. It’s taken a long time.
product should just about sell itself.
Just recently I heard a yard’s ship manager say, “Are we putting some of the red stuff on today?”! A well applied,
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HJ: Yes, and this could have a major impact on shipowners. Currently the ruling is not mandatory but it would be worthwhile for all who could be affected by this to become familiar with the ruling. Even at the simplest level, if ratified, owners may have to keep records of a bio-fouling management plan. Given that some vessels will change their routings over the years and I see now that many companies are announcing the introduction of slow steaming or even super slow steaming, the choice of underwater hull coating becomes more critical. Some work at certain speeds and environmental conditions well formulated hull coating will pay for itself over a very
which may change if the vessel’s trading pattern changes
short period of time. But for some companies it’s “out of
from, say, temperate to tropical water or their speed
sight, out of mind.” Just stand on the shore near Europort,
through the water changes. This will likely have some
Rotterdam for a short period of time and look at the
effect on the efficacy of the underwater hull coating.
condition of some of the hulls when the ships leave under
Perhaps owners should consider this when selecting
ballast. Some are in a truly dreadful state.
coatings particularly now for new-builds.
IMO has, regrettably, had to tell shipowners how to
Ballast water treatment was and is a hot topic and I
paint their ballast tanks. I say regrettably simply because
would not be surprised if underwater hull coatings
a worldwide industry such as shipping should not have
becomes the next hot topic. How many million square
allowed itself to get into such a position that an outside
metres of underwater hull are coated each year?
body had to tell it how to protect its assets. If the industry
_________
does not learn from that episode I’m sure that the same situation could arise with hull coatings.
Howard Jess can be reached at
[email protected]. His website is www.howardjess.co.uk.
SHP: Now that you mention the IMO, that brings up another point. What is your take on the recent MPEC/IMO ruling on hull coatings and invasive (“alien”) species? I’m sure you’re familiar with it.
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