Feature 1 | COATINGS


testimony to the chemists who developed the technology. More impressively, where impact damage had occurred, closer inspection revealed that corrosion was not propagating underneath the aluminium pure epoxy. Inspection of weld seams also showed little or no corrosion.”


Aluminium pure epoxies are considered to provide the best performance in crude oil tanks for fl oating production assets.


ballast water tanks are likely to be of particular interest to off shore owners and operators, partly due to the buff ering with the aluminium flake, which acts both as an active pigment and also aff ords barrier protection, and has been shown to be


resistant to “corrosion creep”. “In-service performance has been


demonstrated inside water ballast and crude oil tanks, where inspections reveal under 3% overall corrosion aſt er 15 years,” he continues. “This is a fantastic achievement and is


Confronting new risks One major challenge for the offshore industry is the increasing variety of climates within which drills and FPSOs are expected to work, making it more difficult to choose which coating to apply. “In tropical environments there are more fouling organisms that will grow on hulls, and if the coating is too thin things can actually go through the coating altogether and damage the steel surface,” says Speed, “ whilst in cold climates such as the Arctic, it is the ice and its abrasion that is the problem.” International Paint says that applying


fouling-resistant coatings saves operators extra costs in the long-term. “Heavy fouling oſt en means the coatings can’t be inspected, so more design engineers are asking for easy clean, foul release coatings. Cleaning


Register and pay by 17th February and save €100


Key project management strategies for cost- efficient, operationally reliable and NOx/SOx compliant OSVs


Two Day Conference: 27th – 28th March, 2012


Pre-Conference Workshops: 26th March, 2012


OffshOre suppOrt Vessels summit 2012


Venue: Park Plaza Victoria, Amsterdam, The Netherlands


Top 3 Conference Highlights:


First hand access to global case studies from Europe, Asia, North & South America on overcoming OSV design and operational challenges


Gain a 360-degree view by listening to perspectives from all the key stakeholders such as regulators, oil majors, ship owners and builders, leading technology solution providers and academia


Hear from key regulators, such as International Maritime Organization (IMO), about the forthcoming 2016 NOx regime and the impact it will have on your operations


T: +44 (0) 20 7368 9300 18


www.osvsummit.com/riNA F: +44 (0) 207 368 9301


E: enquire@iqpc.co.uk Offshore Marine Technology 1st Quarter 2012


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