Experts taking part in the PortPIC conference believe a step-change to the industry’s approach to hull efficiency and environmental protection is already underway.
12 Up Front
Revitalising the Tyne Bridge in the UK and the Liard River Suspension Bridge in Canada.
24 Analysis
Little has changed the hot-dip galvanizing industry, but there has been a sea change on the aesthetic front.
32 Spotlight
Coating selection for offshore wind structures: It is time to change, says Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine.
40 Article from MontiPower
Alternatives to gritblasting in the field.
44 In Focus
New methods for efficient industrial cleaning from Jetstream, Nippon Paint Marine looks at the next generation of hull coatings using biomimetics and a composite wrap for aqueous environments from Belzona.
56 Update
Floor coatings from Sherwin-Williams and HMG.
64 Review
The development of the Coatings Radar App, a unique tool ensuring the information gathered in a coating survey is concise, accurate and consistent.
68 Corrodere Academy
The latest articles, news and directory listing from Corrodere Academy.
78 News
The latest products, appointments and industry news.
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LIFTING THE LID
Changing ship hull MANAGEMENT
A step-change to the industry’s approach to hull efficiency and environmental protection is underway.
Keeping vessels free from biofouling like this through the use of proven antifouling coatings and hull cleaning can allow a ship to perform well under the CII regulations
That was the general view of experts taking part in the PortPIC conference held in Pontignano, Italy this year. They also highlighted that innovation in terms of what typically would be viewed as hull management has changed quite rapidly, and benefits are feeding through with untapped potential for further improvements if collaboration, engagement of port authorities and common regulations and standards can be achieved.
Decarbonisation has become the dominant discussion subject across the industry and in the regulation-setting arenas of the IMO and the EU. Overall, the shipping fraternity sees the need for new measures, even if different sides frequently disagree as to which measures are worth adopting and which may be expensive dead ends.
Future fuels, for example, promise much but are currently expensive and not available in sufficient quantities – if at all – to replace the fossil fuels that have served shipping for over a century. Mechanical efficiency measures, on the other hand, have already been employed to allow ships to meet the requirements of the EEDI and EEXI regulations.
Another measure is hull management, which is drawing the attention of all interested parties. Indeed, keeping vessels free from biofouling through the use of proven antifouling coatings and hull cleaning can allow a ship to perform well under the CII regulations, even if it is still not yet fully recognised in the EEDI and EEXI measures. Frictional resistance accounts for a large part of a ship’s fuel consumption. There is enormous potential for improving performance by reducing the annual 7-10% increase in required power or fuel consumption due to progressive fouling and hull roughness.
Moreover, improving vessel performance by effective hull management has become more important than ever in light of regulations such as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the possible financial mid-term measures for GHG reduction being formulated at the IMO.
Port biofouling challenges
Ironically, whilst owners and operators are seriously considering cleaning hulls and propellers more frequently, port authorities are banning traditional methods of fouling removal because of concerns related to invasive species and release of paint particles into the environment. An added problem of traditional methods is that rough cleaning
practices often lead to premature depletion of the paints and subsequent loss of protection. However, these challenges can be overcome using new technologies and solutions now being developed – as long as agreement can be reached on best practices and standards, to allow the new ways to be rolled out as quickly as possible on a global scale.
“An essential step in further shedding light on the topic and finding best practices and standardisations is actively engaging with industry stakeholders,” said Morten Sten Johansen, Jotun’s Global Category Director, Hull Performance Category. “That is why we co-founded PortPIC, to engage with them and get their own perspectives on the challenges and to see how we can work together to solve them.
“It is important to have arenas like PortPIC and HullPIC, along with the bigger commercial conferences like Nor-Shipping, Marintec, SMM Hamburg and Posidonia to mention just a few, that cut across competition, roles, mandates and where different views can enable us as an industry to make real progress. For Jotun, to contribute to this is a part of our Clean Shipping commitment,” he added.
The PortPIC conference, now in its 5th edition, brought together over 50 industry representatives to discuss the latest developments in the field of hull management, with experts from ship operators, coatings manufacturers, technology providers, robotic and diver in-water cleaning companies, regulators and academia.
Novel solutions to keeping hulls clean
PortPIC kicked off with a presentation by Volker Bertram (DNV) who shared information on recent innovations in hull fouling management options. He looked at a variety of recent developments for biocide-free antifouling solutions, nano-coatings including graphenebased coatings, and coatings with passive air lubrication.
Bertram also highlighted the novel protection systems based on ultrasonic or ultraviolet radiation that have progressed
The Hullwiper in action
Morten Sten Johansen at PortPIC
Ultrasonic protection llke Cathelco’s USP DragGone can offer biocide-free protection for ships even at zero speed
significantly in recent years, and spoke of the rapid growth in robotic cleaning technologies, many of which have now become mature market offerings.
“The progress towards more efficient and more sustainable hull management solutions in the last five years is impressive and encouraging,” Bertram said. “Indeed, where there is a problem, there is a solution. Challenges such as increasingly strict CII requirements for operational energy efficiency and wider application of biofouling management requirements are answered by innovative solutions. Ingenuity and entrepreneurship thrive, and established big players are kept on their toes by start-ups challenging the status quo.”
He continued: “We are certainly moving in the right direction, but I also question whether the combination of emerging cleaning methods is aligned with the new coating technologies, and if regulators and port operators have caught up with the step-change underway. The evolution of technology must be encouraged by the port operators but they, understandably, also want to be sure that the new cleaning technologies match the coating technology on the ships and, moreover, meet their environmental requirements.
“This barrier can be overcome through more cooperation and insight sharing,” he added. Expanding on ultrasonic technology, Ove Hagel (Hasytec) presented Ultrasonic antifouling: an approach to mitigate biofouling on ship hulls and niche areas. Ultrasonic vibrations cause very high accelerations, which destroy the cell structures of fouling. A strong point of ultrasonic protection is that it offers biocide-free protection for ships even at zero speed. Ultrasonic systems have been used successfully for some time on specific areas, but application to the entire hull of a large vessel is a novel approach that Hasytec believes warrants investigation, and so has developed an ‘intelligent’ dynamic biofilm protection.
Overcoming the obstacles to IWC take-up
Various aspects of in-water cleaning (IWC) of hulls were also addressed, including a presentation by Anita Børve (Jotun). She highlighted Jotun’s long history in antifouling coatings and continuous focus on hull performance. “The main goal is a clean hull and optimised hull performance,” she stated, “and our coatings, digital services, advisory
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Børve acknowledged that the regulatory landscape concerning underwater hull cleaning is crowded and complex. “Several international and local entities are working in parallel, but still technologies and regulations are under development with various maturity dates and timelines,” said Børve. She also highlighted that existing methods of testing and ensuring water quality during IWC are very comprehensive, labour- and time-consuming, and do not match what can be achieved in practice during a normal port call.
Discussing a new method of testing water quality, she added: “Testing has also proved that proactive cleaning without capture can be done without imposing any excessive release of biocides as calculated by the MAMPEC tool used by the competent authority in EU member states for assessing potential environmental risk from antifouling coatings.”
In a separate address, Anna Yunnie (PML Applications) presented An alternative multifunctional strategy for testing in-water cleaning devices. She echoed Børve’s assessment of the complex and incomplete regulation or standardisation of the hull cleaning sector. Current methods leave information gaps on the compatibility between different cleaning methods and coating types and the physical impacts on coating integrity and antifouling performance following an in-water clean, she said. If the shipping industry is to meet IMO guidelines on biofouling management, these information gaps require attention.
Yunnie went on to describe how several systems have been tested on a small scale, pointing out that although the tests have limitations when compared to BIMCO IWC trials (which they are not designed to replace), the methodology can help ensure that only the most useful and informative full-scale trials are conducted, saving the industry and regulators time and money.
Sharing views and perspectives
PortPIC also covered broad-ranging perspectives from regulators, shipping
companies, NGOs, robotic cleaning and inspection technology developers and Class. For example, Sahan Abeysekara (Lloyd’s Register) discussed LR’s Clean hull notation: Industry advancements to achieve effective hull management. The Clean Hull notation provides recognition of various hull management practices and quantifies it to a surveyable output. As its name suggests, the intention of the CH notation is to maintain the hull at near-clean condition at all times. To obtain and maintain it requires a close relationship with hull management or vessel performance monitoring systems. The proactive identification of hull condition is by means of frequent biofouling inspections and fouling prediction modelling. “The ultimate goal of the CH notation is to serve as ‘compliance by design’ to the eyes of regulators and Port State Control,” Abeysekara said.
Voluntary notations such as Clean Hull may imply extra investment, but Abeysekara also pointed out that often there are tangible benefits such as reduced port charges offered by some ports and greater interest from charterers as well.
In her paper covering the Clean Hull Initiative, Irene Ø. Tvedten (Bellona) shared the background and status of the CHI project. She added that challenges to proactive management were inconsistencies in global policies, regulators lacking procedures for approval and how they often impose bans on in-water cleaning – leading shipowners to hesitate to conduct cleaning even if they can get access to services.
Best practice for in-water cleaning
Tvedten also stressed the importance of collaboration and insight-sharing, and firmly believes that the CHI can help raise awareness and drive the development of the ISO 6319 standard. This will provide several benefits, including an agreed “best practice” for in-water cleaning and help to harmonise stakeholder requirements. In addition, the standard, to be published in January 2026 at the latest, will help ports and relevant authorities evaluate requests for in-water cleaning, as well as helping shipowners ensure that cleaning services are performed in a specific way regardless of location.
Abigail Robinson shared her learnings from being a regulator in New Zealand, writing and overseeing the world’s strictest biofouling
regulations, before joining robotic in-water cleaning company ECOsubsea. She gave an enlightening presentation entitled From Regulator to Regulated: A Perspective from Both Sides. In it, she also called for more collaboration and the urgent need for ‘fit-forpurpose regulations’.
Robinson describes these as regulations that set a high standard for environmental and human health protection, whilst also providing a clear process of application for innovators to be able to reach that standard. “Regulators need open and honest industry perspectives to be able to understand the operational complexity surrounding the in-water cleaning issue, as well as the wider impacts,” she said.
Another interesting paper, Copper release rates under static conditions along a salinity gradient, presented by Jotun’s Johansen, addressed the thorny subject of accurate risk assessments of biocide release rates under various conditions. Since regulators and port operators are likely to decide whether or not to approve products and services based on risk to the environment, accurate data on release rates of substances of concern, such as copper compounds, are essential.
The paper described a new field test method developed by Jotun researchers. Tests on a variety of coatings in several European ports revealed that the standard input values for risk assessment based on ISO 10890 (mass balance method) can over-estimate release rates. From the analyses presented it can be concluded that seawater flow has a greater impact on the release rate than salinity.
Questioning the status quo
In a forum session after the presentations, Ivana Melillo (GNV, a subsidiary of MSC Cruises), Jean-Loup Barrere (CMA CGM), Irene Tvedten (Bellona) and Simon Doran (AkzoNobel) covered questions from moderators Bertram (DNV) and Johanson (Jotun) and the audience.
Questions focused around what industry stakeholders can do to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient maritime industry and what the environmental regulations, standards and guidelines mean for shipowners and operators.
Responding to why port representatives were missing from the conference, Doran said ports were missing an opportunity and should understand that there’s also a commercial opportunity for them to press home legislation. “They need to be guided in terms of how to get involved,” he said. Tvedten believes ports may be lacking some incentive and questioning why they should be involved, but the growing focus
The PortPIC conference held in Pontignano, Italy this year was a success
Jotun’s HullSkater in action
Jotun’s HullSkater is part of the company’s Clean Shipping commitment
on decarbonisation and biosecurity could be a way to increase engagement. “We need to tap into these aspects, as well as focus on the potential economic benefits.”
Melillo answered a query on whether owners’ attitudes to in-water cleaning and hull management were changing. “There is change underway in terms of going from traditional methods to robotic cleaning approach and also the different ways to monitor hull and propeller performance,” she said. “We need to cooperate more, bring everyone together to find best practices.” This is especially important as companies work to meet ESG requirements, she added.
Commenting on whether the sector was crowded and the difficulty in choosing technologies, Barrere admitted that 10 years ago, his company did not consider biofouling to be a problem on its ships and only did what it thought necessary. But that is changing, with regular inspections and cleaning now the strategy. “As I see it there are many options, many questions and it is not easy to select the ‘right’ technology, but this conference brings together experts who share insights and advice on how best we can go forward to achieve effective hull management,” he said.
Key takeaways
As the conference closed the panellists gave their key takeaways, with Tvedten saying:
“Despite the lack of port representatives at this event, PortPIC is still a very relevant conference because the importance of keeping updated is very high and the knowledge. gained there can be shared with ports in other arenas.”
For Melillo the need for continued industry dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaboration is important, “but the perspectives and insights of ports are crucially important if we are to establish common best practices.” Barrero agreed with the previous two on the need to get ports more involved.
Doran said that he finds PortPIC, alongside HullPIC, to be the most informative and educational forums: “Every day is a school day. In addition, during these conferences it is refreshing that there are no competitors, just like-minded people working towards common goals of sustainability and protecting global biodiversity.”
Picking up on the collaboration theme, Johansen said: “There’s certainly a stepchange underway in terms of innovative solutions and the industry’s approach to hull efficiency and environmental protection, but more collaboration is key to opening the untapped potential of effective hull management. As part of our Clean Shipping commitment, Jotun will continue to contribute to PortPIC and other important industry arenas so that shipping can become even more sustainable in the future.” ■
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UP FRONT
Revitalising AN ICON
The first section of new green paint has been revealed on the Tyne Bridge, marking a momentous day in the major restoration programme.
The Tyne Bridge is a through-arch bridge over the River Tyne in North East England, linking Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. The bridge was designed by the engineering firm Mott, Hay and Anderson, which later designed the Forth Road Bridge, and was built by Dorman Long and Co of Middlesbrough, which later built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. These bridges derived their design from the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City. The bridge was officially opened on 10 October 1928 by King George V and has since become a defining symbol of Tyneside.
Repair work
Within the encapsulated scaffold adjacent to the Gateshead tower, the steelwork has been cleaned before being grit-blasted to remove over 96 years of previous paint coatings, including lead-based paint.
Steelwork repairs have been undertaken and the application of the new three-coat paint system is well underway, with the first section of green paint on the parapet and underside of the bridge deck now complete.
Due to the bridge’s Grade II listed status, the paint colour being used is a British Standard 4800 colour referenced 14C39 called ‘Hollybush’. This is as close to the original colour as possible.
The new paint system has been chosen for its durability, UV resistance, protective and colour retention qualities and its resistance to the harsh atmospheric environment of the bridge, sitting above a tidal river and subject to the winds of the Tyne Valley gorge. It should give protection to the bridge for the next 30 years before major repainting is required.
The first section of green paint on the parapet and underside of the bridge deck now complete
The scaffolding around the Gateshead tower was gradually dismantled, and the public can now see the major transformation that has taken place. At the same time, the scaffold around the Newcastle tower will continue to rise, with tunnels for vehicle traffic, pedestrians and cyclists already in place to keep access to the busy Quayside area open while the restoration work progresses above.
Major transformation
Esh Construction is carrying out the restoration on behalf of Newcastle and Gateshead Councils.
Esh’s Chief Executive, Andy Radcliffe, said: “The work going on behind the scenes is significant, with more than 400 tonnes of spent grit and paint dust created so far. The team are working in cramped conditions both within the Gateshead scaffolding and within the bridge deck void under the footway to safely restore this important structure, so it’s a proud day to showcase the fruits of their labour with the first section of green paint now complete.”
“This is a really exciting time for the project with the first coat of green paint being applied,” said Cllr Karen Kilgour, Deputy Leader of Newcastle City Council. “It truly is a remarkable and welcome transformation seeing this muchloved icon being restored to its former glory.
“Much of the transformation has had to
be kept away from the public behind the scaffolding as almost 100 years’ worth of old and defective paint, including lead-based paint, has had to be grit-blasted off back to the original steel. The steel has been repaired and then repainted, as close as possible to the original green, and soon the public will be able to see the progress made as we begin to remove the scaffolding on the Gateshead tower.
“This has been a real labour of love for all involved in this major scheme and the teams have worked non-stop since the project got underway this April.
“It will be a proud day when the restoration is complete, and we see the bridge shining proudly once again in the Tyneside skyline.”
“It’s fantastic to see this rich green shade
of paint back on the bridge, bringing it back to its best,” said Neil Wilkinson, Interim Service Director for Climate Change, Compliance, Planning and Transport at Gateshead Council.
“Everyone knows what the Tyne Bridge means to this area, and it’s going to be great for people to see the new paint as they travel back and forth, to understand what the finished restoration will look like.”
20-phase scaffolding
Twelve platforms of scaffolding have been erected around the Gateshead tower to allow restoration work and painting to take place. As work on each floor is complete, sections of the scaffold will be removed, revealing the newly refurbished and painted sections of the bridge.
Each coat is spray painted, with additional brush-applied ‘stripe’ coats to the edges and rivets. For the entire restoration, 139,400 litres of paint will be used.
Thorough investigations have outlined that more than 1,000 repairs need to be carried out to preserve the landmark for future generations. This involves steel, concrete, stonework and masonry repairs, drainage improvements, bridge deck waterproofing, resurfacing, parapet protection and bridge joint replacement, as well as a full paint job.
Over the four-year, £32-million programme, various sections of the iconic structure will be clad in scaffolding as work progresses, which means passers-by won’t be able to see what is happening until it is removed.
To deliver the repairs and strengthening safely, the scaffold will be installed over approximately 20 phases to maintain the integrity of the structure’s load capacity, while keeping the road and footpaths open to traffic and pedestrians throughout the project. These loading constraints result in the programme to complete the restoration being across four years. It is expected to be complete in summer 2028, ahead of the bridge’s centenary in October 2028. The programme is funded by the UK government, as well as monies from both Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council
Alaska Highway bridge rejuvenation
Walco Industries was contracted in summer 2024 to supply robotics to remove some 70m³ of concrete from the deck of the Liard River Suspension Bridge, near the Yukon border.
The Liard River Suspension Bridge stands 24.65m (94ft) tall and overlooks typical British Columbia, Canada landscapes including rivers, forests and a mountain range. With its remote location, it is home to an array of wildlife. Constructed in 1943, the bridge spans 307m. Descriptions of the Alaska Highway say that part of this bridge was built using materials salvaged from the Tacoma Narrows bridge, adding that using salvaged materials was common during wartime to overcome shortages and reduce costs.
The concrete from specific locations on the bridge deck was to be removed by hydrodemolition, and was to be done in two phases, one lane at a time.
Hydrodemolition is a method that uses high-pressure water jetting to remove concrete, either deteriorated or sound, for repair or recoating purposes. This method produces no vibration, which helps preserve the structural integrity, as unlike traditional methods it does not cause micro-fracturing. It also reduces dust and controls silica exposure for both workers and the surrounding area. Additionally, the use of this type of demolition and robotics reduces the risk of ergonomic issues and injuries.
Poor condition
Due to the age of the bridge, the concrete was in very poor condition. The cutting system had to be adjusted frequently and the operating pressures reduced to avoid cutting down to the Q deck. Walco Industries staff worked with engineering personnel from British Columbia’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, along with the general contractor, to devise a plan that would work efficiently and prevent excess damage to the degraded surface of the bridge. The high-pressure system was placed 300m away from the bridge to minimise weight on the deck during heavy traffic. To achieve this and minimise line loss, Walco used a large diameter high-pressure hose to ensure the required pressure at the nozzle was available, and the volumes needed for the robotics to operate were maintained sufficiently over the long distance to the opposite side of the bridge.
Primary concern
Ensuring minimal environmental impact was a primary concern for Walco, therefore vac trucks and vacuum beams were used to collect all the wastewater. The wastewater was contained with sandbags and then vacuumed up and hauled off-site to a treatment facility. The risk of flying debris was mitigated through the use of temporary fencing and temporary hoardings to protect traffic in the opposite lane and other crews working in the area.
One of the major issues that arose during the project was securing reliable water sources, because of the remote location and extreme weather in the area during the project. Events such as upstream swelling of the rivers greatly increased the silt content of the available water. To address this, Walco introduced a filtration system to filter the water before it ran through the high-pressure pumps and robotics. Cleaning and rotating bag filters in the multi-pot system had to be done continuously to ensure no delays to the project and to prevent damage to the high-pressure pumps and robotics.
Crisp cutting lines
In partnership with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, the client implemented a traffic control system to ensure that traffic could still flow through the critical roadway. Working on the northbound lane first, the scope was to cut various shapes in the deck without compromising the surrounding concrete. This process was aided by sawcutting the edges of the areas to be removed, leaving crisp lines for the application of new concrete. A hydrovac followed behind the unit to remove all loose debris, preparing the site for the new infill.
Bison occasionally used the bridge to cross the river safely
Working in this remote area provided key lessons in dealing with fluctuating water levels, changes in water quality, lightning, torrential downpours and wildlife.
Unique delays
The robotics production rates were so successful that once the first lane was completed, the crew had to leave the site for a few weeks to allow time for the other contractors to complete the application of the new deck surface. The second phase of the job began a few weeks later – this time on the southbound lane. The volume of concrete removed was approximately 41.5m³. Again due to its remote location, this project was subject to unique delays – bison occasionally used the bridge to cross the river safely.
Overall, the job was very successful and a lot of valuable information was gathered. Working in this remote area provided key lessons in dealing with fluctuating water levels, changes in water quality, lightning, torrential downpours and wildlife – all of which were part of the learning process. ■
European
European
Architectural galvanizing
Little has changed in almost 187 years in the hot-dip galvanizing industry to protect steel structures against corrosion. However, on the aesthetic front there has been a sea change in the way in which galvanized products are being presented, explains Nick Karakasch, retired principal of Total Corrosion Consultants, Melbourne, Australia.
Federation Square, Melbourne features a glass encased Galleria incorporating a galvanized structural steel framework. The building to the right, has exterior panels made from zinc/titanium
Designers are increasingly calling for an ‘architectural finish’ to steel structures, creating in effect a new product which needs specific consideration from the outset.
The bare metallic finish and natural texture of uncoated galvanized surfaces is often selected for architectural work based on its impact as a self-finish. As a result, this brings into play a whole new set of considerations which can affect the visual qualities of the finished product.
Galvanizing has a track record in not all but most atmospheric environments, where service life up to 25 years-plus is commonplace. In some instances, particularly in dry rural environments, 110 years has been achieved. There are also documented case histories of transmission towers in windswept coastal regions around the world lasting up to 75 years before requiring maintenance.
The prime purpose of galvanizing is to provide corrosion protection for steel. Throughout the world it is commonly referred to as either hot-dip or static galvanizing. Both descriptions are covered by the internationallyrecognised standards ISO 1461, Australian Standard AS/NZS 4680 and USA ASTM A123. However, it is important to understand that these standards only address product description and process method and do not cover an increasingly-significant element of aesthetic appearance of the work piece, fusing to the steel rather than forming a separate
metal surface, commonly referred to as adhesion at the atomic level.
It is not always possible to judge that the alloy metal created will be acceptable. Variations in steel composition can result in notable differences in appearance, even though these may be well within standard specifications required for protective properties. The use of some steels can also make the creation of the desired effect less likely, due to vagaries in the way in which they accept the galvanizing process. With knowledge that architectural appearance is required, the steel fabricator together with the galvanizer can take extra precautions to achieve uniform appearance and normal alloy weight. Historically, choosing a galvanized product was relatively simple. For the first 100 years or so it was the only product available; today many zinc-based products are on the market via differing processes which can and have confused the consumer. It is vitally important to understand what is on offer, particularly where long-term protection is the expectation, otherwise, materials with lower performance qualities may be unwittingly chosen.
The principle galvanizing types
. Hot-dip galvanizing of fabricated steel articles is covered by ISO1461/ASTM A123 and AS/NZS 4680 standards. These standards were designed for optimum
A Painting depicting Hot Dip Galvanizing in Germany, circa early 1890
corrosion protection and abrasion resistance, which are widely accepted as the International Galvanizing benchmarks for corrosion protection. Alloyed thicknesses range from 35-55µm for steel less than 3mm to a minimum of 85µm for steel over 6mm in thickness. This is an important feature as thickness dictates the performance one can expect. In some cases, thicknesses can be 100% higher, particularly for heavy steel sections, or where the chemistry of the steel is high in silicon/phosphorous.
. Technology developments in the steel industry over the past half century have introduced in-line or continuous galvanizing methods for steel components to accommodate modern building practices. Hollow sections are also available, offering a range of design options, basically to provide cost savings for steel and weight reductions. The processes were developed to suit a wide range of construction materials to provide ductility, alloy thickness control and a measure of protection. The marketing philosophy was to reduce or replace the use of timber and conventional shop-painted steel sections. There is no alloy created in these processes; the result is a pure zinc layer over the steel which is significantly thinner than traditional hot-dip galvanizing. Whilst these processes have some similar features, they do not provide anywhere near the same level of corrosion resistance, nor do they have the same level of abrasion resistance. On average due to the speed of the operation (180m/min), zinc thickness is controlled and is typically 25-35µm.
The protection provided is suitable for internal, limited exterior exposure or mild rural environments at best. It is extremely important that designers and consumers are aware of the radical differences between the two processes. In-line/continuous galvanizing should not be confused with traditional hot-dip galvanizing where long-term protection has been achieved. Nevertheless, when used correctly and in the appropriate circumstances these are outstanding materials. Serious and costly failures have occurred due to misaligned specifications and use. Galvanizing’s reputation rests on its appropriate use where the flow-on effect also impacts on specifying authorities and upon those in the
Electricity pylons are often constructed from carbon-steel, which is hotdip galvanised to provide anti-corrosion protection
construction industry who unwittingly base decisions on economic factors. In many cases procurement decisions are made with good intentions; however, there can be a severe lack of product knowledge where the consequences far outweigh the original construction value.
One example that comes to mind is where the original cost of balustrading for a multi-storey apartment building was $600K, while the remedial cost for replacement due to premature corrosion failure was more than $20M.
Unfortunately, there appears to be a culture within the construction industry worldwide to look for the lowest common denominator, with the overall view of cost minimisation.
Appearance
Firstly, it is not all doom and gloom for in-line/continuous products; they provide an attractive, very smooth uniform and shiny finish like paint. Hot-dip galvanizing on the other hand cannot be compared in the same light; for the most part it is relatively smooth, finely textured and somewhat granular, characterised by an attractive flower or spangled appearance. Spangled or matt finishes are related to the alloy layers created; a good covering of surface zinc ensures a bright finish. Brightness can be increased with a small addition of aluminium to the galvanizing bath. The other influencing factor is cooling of the steel after galvanizing: slow cooling of zinc crystalises into large grains and spangled appearance; conversely rapid cooling produces a fine grain where the spangle is less obvious. Where spangle is the desired result, small amounts of tin are added to the galvanizing bath, helping the creation of the spangled effect. Dull grey colouring is frequently found on heavy sections that spend longer in the bath and cool more slowly, or where the steel chemistry is high in silicon/phosphorous.
Design specifiers require information which must be presented for steel procurement, so that the additional detailing required is considered at bidding and observed before dispatch. Without this advice the necessary dressing will occur only as required by the normal standard which is aimed primarily toward corrosion protection. It is also highly desirable that the galvanizing be inspected before it leaves the plant, since from that point on it becomes the responsibility of other parties where it may be subject to abuse if not handled correctly.
Site storage can expose galvanized steel to damage, oil, grease, dirt and other foreign
matter which may disfigure the surface and require extensive washing and degreasing to remove it. Disciplined freight, site storage and erection procedures must be observed by the fabricator and builder, to ensure that the cleanliness of the steel items is protected and no undue abuse inflicted on the surface, treated in the same manner as conventional painted surfaces are.
Architectural specification comment
To specify the additional galvanizing characteristics for architectural purposes, the following details should be additional to calling up the after-fabrication galvanizing standard.
Scope: This specification refers to the standard of galvanizing finish required when aesthetic appearance is important. It is additional to the standard finish referred to in ISO 1461, ASTM123 and AS/NZS4680 for the purposes of decorative use, or post-treatment where there is to be a decorative finish such as paint or powder coatings applied.
Galvanizing for use as a self-finish
The surface finish of the galvanizing should be free from runs, dags, spikes, uneven surfaces and roughness. The appearance and surface condition should take account of the need for visible uniformity and should be able to cope with handling and physical contact in public areas. These aspects should be defined and agreed with the fabricator and galvanizer prior to commencement of the galvanizing process. Some of the problems that can occur associated with the process are bare spots, blisters, lump runs, roughness, dross protrusions, ash and flux inclusions. All of these can influence the eventual appearance. Nevertheless, the industry is aware of these potential problems and can take the appropriate measures when there is an architectural requirement. The surface condition of the steel also needs consideration. As a rule, hot-rolled sections will not provide the same smoothness and shiny surface as cold-rolled sections, which are free of mill scale prior to galvanizing. Rusted steel will also highlight surface variations.
Steel composition
Silicon and phosphorous levels can affect surface appearance, particularly colour and roughness. Certain levels of silicon content will
result in excessively thick galvanizing. These very thick alloys result from the increased reactivity of the steel with molten zinc and rapid growth of the alloy layers on the steel surface. Excessive growth in thickness takes place on steels with silicon contents in the range of 0.04%-0.14%. Growth rates are less for steels containing between 0.15% and 0.22% silicon and increase with increasing silicon levels above 0.22%. Most steels fall within acceptable limits for these constituents. A large proportion of steel used in construction throughout the world is produced by the electric arc furnace process, where there exists a propensity for higher silicon content than steel made by the continuous casting method. The presence of phosphorous above a threshold level of approximately 0.05% produces a marked increase in reactivity of steel with molten zinc, and rapid alloy growth. When present in combination with silicon, phosphorous can have a disproportionate effect, producing excessively thick alloy thicknesses. Allowances for colour variations, thicker and rougher galvanizing should be made if steels containing excessive levels of silicon and phosphorous are galvanized.
Design for dipping
The design of the articles to be galvanized should be discussed with the galvanizer during the detailing stage, as the provisions of adequate filling, venting and drainage requirements can have a significant effect on the ability to achieve a smooth finish. To achieve the best finish, the article should be designed to fit inside the galvanizing bath in a single dip. Welding quality should also be specified to be free from porosity and weld slag. Welding rods are also known to contain high levels of
silicon and phosphorous, so it is important that this facet of the work be given consideration. Grinding marks should be minimised as they may appear in the finished galvanized surface.
Inspection
The completed work should be inspected by the interested parties at the galvanizer’s yard prior to dispatch, or alternatively a control sample of the type of finish required could be agreed on before galvanizing commences.
Galvanized steel is a proven and reliable product in terms of durability, but its use as an architectural finish presents challenges as well as opportunities. If the appropriate industry guidelines are known and observed, the desired finish can be achieved. The combination of appearance, performance and cost can make this product increasingly attractive to the specifier, contractor and client alike. The most effective way of keeping potential problems at bay is through consultation between those in the supply chain, designer, steel fabricator, and the galvanizer prior to and after treatment.
About the author
Nick Karakasch’s experience spans over 55 years, specialising in services to the protective coating, galvanizing and structural fire protection Industries. He spent over half his working career with the Dimet Coating Company, the inventors of inorganic zinc silicate coatings by their founding director Victor Nightingall, and has also been Executive Marketing Manager to the Galvanizers Association of Australia. Whilst living in South Africa in the mid-1970s he was employed as a Site Contracts Manager for R.J. Southey P/Ltd., Africa’s largest corrosion prevention contractor. ■
The rough textured appearance of a hot rolled beam is due to the original rough surface
Silicon and phosphorous levels can affect surface appearance, particularly colour and roughness
HERON SCULPTURE PROTECTION
A galvanizing company has future-proofed a bespoke retirement gift for an RAF veteran, ensuring it can withstand the elements in its new home.
Katie Ventress, an artist-blacksmith from North Yorkshire, was commissioned to design and create a heron sculpture as a retirement present for a former RAF veteran. The entire piece – which includes the bird, bulrushes, a dragonfly and a gecko lizard – was created using both solid and hollow steel forms.
“Every element of the sculpture has personal significance to the recipient,” Ventress explained. “A heron was chosen as it was a bird spotted in Dubai and at home in Yorkshire, snowdrops were added on the water’s edge as a nod to the nickname given to those in the RAF police, and the lizard represents memories made with his children.
“Following six weeks of fabrication, and much thought, care, and attention to detail, I knew that it had to be galvanized – to ensure it would withstand the elements in its new home in the Yorkshire Dales. Plus, a galvanized finish gifts me the ability to create light and dark shaded areas, helping to create contrasts, shadows, and further enhance the overall aesthetic.”
Katie enlisted the support of Hull-based Humber Galvanizing Ltd, where the heron sculpture was hot-dipped in molten zinc at temperatures around 450°C to allow for a
The heron sculpture was hot-dipped in molten zinc at temperatures around 450°C to allow for a metallurgicallybonded coating to be formed.
metallurgically-bonded coating to be formed.
“I’ve worked with the team at Humber Galvanizing for over eight years now, and I’d never use anybody else,” Katie continued. “The entire team always seems genuinely excited to see my latest project, and I know it’s in the safest of hands. It’s always such a positive and personable experience – from the very first phone call to arrange collection, through to the final delivery of the finished piece.”
Tony Linsley, Sales Manager at Humber Galvanizing, added: “It’s such a pleasure to work with Katie – her artwork never fails to amaze and inspire our entire team. And thanks to its galvanized coating, we’re thrilled that this heron sculpture will be enjoyed by a very worthy recipient for decades, without being tarnished by rust or corrosion.” ■
Coating selection for offshore wind structures: Time to change
The world is craving renewable energy sources. At COP28 in Dubai 2023, governments agreed the historic goal to triple renewable energy capacity by 2028, and all three main economic blocs set in motion ambitious plans to deliver the needed reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, namely the US Inflation Reduction Act, the EU’s Wind Power Package, and China’s Five-Year Plan, explain Joao Azevedo, and Neil Wilds, Sherwin-Williams Protective and Marine.
Offshore wind tower and turbine on top of a monopile: pointing to a bright future
In wind energy alone, the 1 TW global installed capacity milestone was reached in 2023. This figure is expected to pass 2 TW before 2030. Onshore wind is still the main contributor for this installed capacity, but offshore wind is growing at a much faster pace, and is needed to reach the objectives of renewable energy production. In 2023, 10.8 GW of new offshore wind capacity was connected to the grid, globally a 24% increase from the previous year. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), annual new offshore wind installations are expected to increase at a compound growth rate of about 25% between 2023 and 2028.
Why corrosion protection is central
The accelerated growth of offshore wind energy means that more of these structures are being installed in the field, although enough long-term experience of corrosion protection durability is lacking. The offshore wind turbines themselves are fixed on top of towers that are positioned on foundations, normally monopiles, sometimes jackets, or increasingly so in the future, floating. These assets, and most notably their foundations, are exposed to aggressive environmental conditions leading to protective coating breakdown by a combination of factors:
1. Exposure to ISO 12944-9-defined environments: CX extreme offshore atmospheric corrosiveness, Im4 seawater immersion with cathodic protection, or a combination of both in the cyclical immersion and splash zone areas.
2. Unmanned – unlike in most oil & gas projects, meaning no crew present for regular maintenance.
3. Structural movements much more pronounced than in oil & gas offshore assets, and last but not least,
4. Doubts about the usual offshore oil & gas coating specification’s ability to provide extended durability, facing such extreme conditions.
Premature coating breakdown of the foundations of offshore wind structures has been detected in the field, where access for maintenance is extremely difficult. The integrity of the foundation is, for obvious structural reasons, one of the top priorities for corrosion protection. This causes uncertainty in an industry that is aiming for a maintenance-free design life of more than 30 years to ensure a proper return on investment. The offshore wind industry is thus facing two important needs:
Figure 1. Projected growth of offshore wind installations
1. Redefine new construction coating specification standards to ensure the required durability from the offshore wind foundation coating system.
2. Develop maintenance cycle solutions to address both the lack of control of environmental conditions, and difficult access.
This article covers the first need, in the specific context of offshore tower foundations.
Durable corrosion protection
Developers of offshore wind projects are investing billions of dollars in assets that are required to function, without maintenance, for over 25 years, possibly in some cases aiming for over 30 years. The critical part of such assets, in durability terms, are the offshore wind foundations. The industry has been on a long bumpy road on the path to this ‘durability reassurance’ goal. However, some good news has emerged – a new cathodic protection standard, ISO 24656:2022 Cathodic protection of offshore wind structures, specifically designed for offshore wind foundations, has been recently issued, and is a good step towards improved durability. But the same reassurance has not yet been gained for the coating selection side, despite several attempts, as detailed below.
First attempt
Past corrosion protection standards commonly used by the oil & gas industry for offshore assets prescribed accelerated cyclic ageing laboratory test criteria for coating systems pre-qualification and application guidelines for
these installations, with the aim of delivering ‘High Durability’ performance in offshore use. Examples are the ISO 20340 (later replaced by ISO 12944-9) and Norsok M501 Rev 6 standards. If it worked in oil & gas, why not in wind? The problem was, it did not work so well in oil & gas either, and the construction, structure, lifecycle and maintenance, of offshore wind foundations are different. Another issue with this approach is that both ISO 20340/ISO 12944-9, and Norsok M501 Rev 6, only cover ‘High Durability’ for this exposure environment (C5M in ISO 20340, CX in ISO 12944-9) – defined as “more than 15 years durability” by ISO 12944. Short of the offshore wind needs.
Second attempt
If old standards do not work well, why not seek new, better standards? A good example came from Germany, home of many recent offshore wind projects, where the joint VGB 9 (VGB Powertech eV, now vgbe energy eV) and BAW (Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau – German Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute), initiative created a new standard for this specific need. The four-part standard was recently upgraded: VGBE-S-021-01-202305-DE Corrosion Protection for Offshore Wind Structures - Part 1 to Part 3 (2023), and Part 4 (2018) [6]. This vgbe/BAW standard adds more stringent testing to that prescribed by the ISO 20340/ISO 12944-9 and Norsok M501 Rev 6 standards. Although tests required according to VGBE-S-021-02-2023-05 are based on the ISO 12944. The cathodic disbonding is however performed after a BAW-own test which lasts 15 months. Typical corrosion of poorly protected offshore structure
It should be noted that the costly and elaborate tests according to vgbe/BAW standard are needed only for offshore projects in the German Exclusive Economic Zone. However, recently the compositional analysis testing to act as a ‘fingerprint’ has been shown to be flawed for solvent-free systems, as they are not compatible with the test methods. This did narrow the field, making it more demanding for coatings’ systems to get pre-qualified, but also brought benefits in prescribing more robust systems in terms of thickness and number of coats. It is still too early to see what this improvement will bring, but two challenges have been identified:
1. It is a national standard, and not an internationally recognised one; 2. The field has become too prescriptive, risking ‘false negatives’ (systems failing to be approved but that can actually perform well in the field). Norsok M501 has also been upgraded to Rev 7, in terms of the coating systems and testing requirements. However, it is still designed for oil & gas, and short of addressing the very high durability requirements of offshore wind.
Third attempt
If standards are not enough to ensure good long-term performance, we should look at what has been working in the field ‘for 30 years’ and just specify that. Armed with this optimism, developers and designers took note from field performance data provided by coating manufacturers and classification societies. The outcome of this approach led partly to the ISO 24656:2022 standard. This cathodic protection standard defined five ‘types’ of coatings systems, from I (faster breakdown rate) to V (slower breakdown rate), to help design cathodic protection accordingly (the better the system, the lower the requirements for CP). The ‘best’ Type V systems were defined as ‘two-component epoxy or polyester, with a minimum of 20% lamellar glass flake in their composition’. This conclusion is ‘informative’, not ‘normative’. Still, some developers and designers took it as the new golden rule, and the ISO 24656 standard started being used to specify coating systems, despite not being adequate for it. The association of a ‘20% glass flake compositional requirement’ as the best performance for offshore wind conditions has several flaws:
1. It is based on offshore field feedback from the oil & gas sector, and is not representative, as only a couple of offshore assets provided data, amidst thousands of offshore platforms with a history of good and bad performance alike.
2. At least in one case, the asset was not exposed for 40 years: the real offshore exposure period was much shorter, closer to 18 years, as the structure was mothballed and the coating system was no longer exposed to immersion in seawater or even in the splash zone. In fact, this coating system has been seen to fail on offshore wind projects.
3. The examples from the field that led to a compositional requirement of a minimum 20% glassflake content are not representative of today’s materials. The coating systems and/or formulations (including with 20% or more glassflakecontaining coating systems) being used today may not correspond to the thickness, number of coats, and actual formulas used decades ago in the examples chosen to illustrate durability of this specific composition.
4. If a specific composition of coating is forced on the operators (instead of relying on specific past performance data), then we close the door to many effective (potentially more effective), more modern, and more sustainable coating solutions.
The reasonable approach to corrosion protection
After reading this article to this point, any developer or designer of offshore wind foundations must consider: if old oil & gas coating pre-qualification standards are short of serving our needs, and the field feedback is doubtful, plus the fact that compositional requirements are misguiding and more recent standards are not internationally recognised, how do I get the 30 years’ durability needed? The answer is a multiple pronged approach, dispensing with the ‘wishful thinking’:
1. Compositional coating requirements must be avoided, as this will lead to the selection of old materials based on their composition only, ignoring other critically important success factors listed below, and blocking competition from better coating systems.
2. Coating pre-qualification and corrosion protection design standards should be refined to the specific needs of offshore wind foundations, focusing on performance (not compositional) requirements.
3. Coating systems’ ability to be applied and inspected easily must be part of the selection criteria. This means that the ability to provide efficient protection, at the level obtained in laboratory, on an industrial scale while minimising the installation effort and maximising installation speed, must also be a criterion. Passing the standard performance criteria is worthless if the application is troublesome to the point of increasing the risk of faulty installation.
4. Sustainability credentials must be part of the selection criteria. The pressure for performance at this level is especially noted in an industry that is intended to contribute to the overall sustainability of the energy mix. This means the optimum balance of coatings, cathodic protection, and steel allowance should minimise the embodied carbon resulting from all contributions. Indications so far point to the benefits of maximising the coatings contribution, while reducing corrosion allowance.
The pitfalls of coating compositional requirements have been abundantly described above. However, the remaining three recommended factors deserve further explanation.
Standards pre-qualification tools
Past efforts to improve pre-qualification standards have not been wasted. The latest VGB BAW (2023) and Norsok M501 (revision 7) editions brought welcome upgrades of the pre-qualification criteria. The minimum requirements for coatings systems for offshore foundation splash zones – the most critical of all the exposure areas, are now recommended as 1,000mµ for the minimum dry film thickness, with at least two coats. Testing protocols are also closer to the needs, with the introduction of impact testing to the mix for splash zone areas. The current ISO 12944 is also under revision and once the new edition is published (a few years from now) will be a better tool, with pre-qualification criteria for CX and Im4 systems for Very High Durability (>25years).
Do These Look Alike?
Finally, a new standard project (ISO/AWI 25249) [8] has been proposed to the relevant ISO technical committees for the development of a future ‘Corrosion protection of offshore wind structures’ standard. This was approved, and the new ISO/TC 107/JWG 6 (joining ISO/TC 107 and ISO/TC35 experts) was created. The first meeting of this committee, in December 2024, is a harbinger of a new important tool for coating system pre-qualification. Preliminary drafts point to three levels of durability (< 25 years/25-35 years/+35 years), with design approaches considering coatings, cathodic protection, corrosion allowance and maintenance strategies in combination, depending on the durability scenario. Furthermore, offshore wind end users are starting to consider their own pre-qualification testing outside the common test methods previously described.
Application features criteria
Either formally (as part of pre-qualification standards), or in the context of project development (joining coating manufacturers with design engineers), the selected coating systems must be easy to apply under the specific conditions of monopile (or other type of foundation) fabrication. ‘Easy’ may be defined in several factual ways, from simplicity of spraying set-up, to the ability of film forming/matching the specified thickness. This should also include aspects like speed of application, including ability to easily control applied thickness by the painter, speed of curing, absence of solvents (to reduce risks of pin holing or solvent retention), and ability to be inspected quickly and more accurately (better rate of defect detection). If all these aspects are optimised, the chances of the good results in accelerated lab testing being replicated in the field during real live exposure are maximised.
Sustainability credentials
For the offshore wind industry, the carbon footprint of its activity is of critical importance. This importance is linked with the ‘green’ image associated with the industry’s output, which must not be too negatively affected by the impact of the materials used on its assets. Given the large impact of steel in this footprint, this means preferring approaches that minimise corrosion allowance (which adds weight and cost both to the structure and to
the installation process), and maximising the use of coatings.
It also means that the balance between cathodic protection and coatings use for submersed areas needs to be minimised. For example, the carbon footprint of a fully cathodic protected bare-metal monopile is much higher than the one resulting from the combined use of a robust coating system and a more moderate cathodic protection level. Finally, the criteria should prioritise the adoption of coating materials with reduced direct environmental impact, i.e. by using solvent-free materials, currently being utilised in some, but not all, European offshore wind structure construction yards, and avoiding or minimising the presence of ingredients not normally found in the maritime environment (for example metallic zinc).
Conclusion
Offshore wind is a relatively young industry facing the challenges of exponential growth with booming investment needs, whilst operating in uncharted waters (literally). Design lives of more than 30 years are becoming the common target, while history (mostly from the offshore oil & gas sector) does not provide enough reassurance about coating systems and other corrosion control tools’ ability to protect for the aimed-for durability.
Anxiety to cover for the ‘reassurance gap’ has led the industry to over-rely on past standard tools and/or compositional requirements linked with a very limited number of old products in the market, and based on a very limited and not representative set of field data, in conditions different from the reality of today’s offshore wind foundation fabrication/operation.
The good news is that it is possible to replace the ‘wishful thinking’ from the past with a new reasonable multi-prong approach to offshore wind foundation coatings selection. This approach avoids using compositional requirements, and instead adopts existing and future pre-qualification standardisation tools that have been improved as described above, and combines these with an intimate discussion with coating manufacturers during the design phase of their projects, to select solutions that meet the best criteria in terms of application features and sustainability credentials. ■
Alternatives to gritblasting in the field
Although it is widely accepted that abrasive blast cleaning is an effective and efficient method of surface preparation for coating removal and surface preparation before coating, there are various situations where other tools and cleaning solutions such as grinders, sanders, laser, induction, bristles and needle guns are used.
Although the use of grinding tool wire brushes, grinder discs etc. are labour intensive relative to the area prepared, there is little plant and equipment required compared to the large volume of the plant, equipment and abrasive needed in the blast cleaning process. The final clean- up is also substantial after blast cleaning. An electricity supply or compressed air supply is a requirement for power tool preparation, whereas a simple hand wire brush or scraper is the only requirement for hand cleaning methods. Cordless electric tools find their way to the pipeline market nowadays.
Hand and power tool cleaning are not efficient methods to remove hard rust or scale. The surface condition after preparation and the type of environmental exposure have a bearing on the coating life except for certain PIB-based or wax-based coatings without a need for a primer. A coating system applied onto a hand cleaned steel surface on the inside of a building, for example, will provide an increased coating life compared to the same coating system applied to a hand cleaned steel surface exposed to an external coastal environment.
The process of hand and power tool cleaning as a method of surface preparation has been available for a number of years, and a number of coating suppliers have developed coating systems that are suitable for hand and power tool prepared substrates. This provides asset owners the lower cost option of using hand and power tool cleaning and ‘surface tolerant’ coatings for maintenance works as opposed to abrasive blast cleaning.
Within this paper, we will review as listed in the MontiPower Surface Prep Guide (in cooperation with Corrodere UK) the types of equipment used, maintenance operations, advantages and disadvantages of the process and specific standards used for hand and power tool methods of surface preparation versus loose abrasive blasting in relation to cleanliness, profile, productivity, ergonomics and health and safety.
Hand Tools
Hand tool cleaning uses non-powered tools to remove adherent material from a substrate as a method of surface preparation. The type of materials includes loose rust and protective coatings. The hand tools will not remove tightly adhered rust or mill scale. The types of hand tools used for surface preparation in the protective coatings industry include hand wire brushes, scrapers, hammers, non-woven abrasive pads and emery and sandpaper.
Hand wire brush
The hand wire brush has been used in the coatings industry for many years. The body of the hand wire brush was initially made from steel or iron; however, modern hand wire brush bodies are made from wood and various types of plastic. The bristle wire is typically manufactured from steel; however stainless steel, aluminium, brass, zinc and plastic are also available, depending upon the type of substrate that is being prepared. Hand wire brushing is still extensively used for surface preparation in maintenance painting operations but is categorised as a low-level method of surface preparation.
As the bristles are available in various types of material they can be used as a method of surface preparation of ferrous and non-ferrous surfaces.
Scraper
A scraper is known as a universal tool for the industrial painter. As a simple tool, the scraper is used for removing flaking paint and loose rust, overspray and dry spray between coats and grit inclusion in a dried paint film.
The scraper can be used to remove thick grease and oil, but will leave a residue on the surface.
The scraper can be used in combination with paint strippers and is beneficial in the opening of paint can lids.
The scraper will not prepare a steel surface to a suitable standard for coating application without some other form of abrading such a hand or power tool cleaning.
Small ‘deburring’ scrapers are used specifically on coated surfaces due to their sharp blade which can remove any contamination in a dried film.
FIG_2 A painter’s scraper with a wooden handle and steel blade. Various sized blades are available.
Non-Woven Pads
Non-woven pads are made from nylon fibres that are bonded together (not woven together) with synthetic resins that have abrasive incorporated into the material.
Different types of abrasives are used which vary in size from micro-fine to coarse. The non-woven pads are typically used for cleaning surfaces in readiness for coating application. The abrasive within the material can impart a light key to the coating surface.
FIG_1 Traditional wooden handle hand wire brush with scraper and steel bristles
FIG_3 Non-Woven Pads
Power Tool Cleaning
As the name implies, a power source is required for this type of equipment which is available from compressed (pneumatic) air, mains electricity and heavy-duty batteries. Power tools are considerably faster than hand tools and less tiring on the operative. Restrictive use is a general requirement as the vibrating tool can have potential health risks to the user*.
Power tools are used in both presurface preparation and surface preparation for coating application.
There are a number of power tools used as a method of surface preparation including:
• Power (rotary) Wire Brushes
• Sanders
• Grinders/Disks
• Needle guns
• Chisel guns
• Bristle Blaster
* Hand and arm vibration (HAVS) can be a significate health risk wherever powered hand tools are used for significant lengths of time
Power (rotary) Wire Brushes
Power wire brushing is used extensively in the protective coatings industry, predominantly for maintenance painting, repairs and joinup locations on new building works such as shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas structures. Power wire brushing is also used for general construction site works where it is difficult or impractical to abrasive blast clean small areas such as welds.
The power wire brush is considerably faster (and more economical) than a hand wire brush and available with various bristle heads including steel, brass, copper, stainless steel and plastic.
The most popular form of power tool cleaning is with power or rotary wire brush. Both electric and compressed air (pneumatic) types are available.
The cup type rotary wire brush is the most widely used powered tool used for surface preparation. The diameters of the wire brush vary between 50mm to 150mm (2 - 6 inches).
While the power wire brush is more effective than hand wire brushing there is the potential for burnishing or polishing the surface. This also applies to tightly adherent scale. A burnished surface will result in poor adhesion of the paint.
Bristle Blasting
The Bristle Blasting process is a method that both removes corrosion, existing coatings, contaminations and generates an anchor profile by using a specially designed self-cleaning rotary wire bristle belt. This consists of wire bristle tips that are bent forward and dynamically tuned to a hand-held electrically wired power tool which operates at approximately 2,500 rpm.
This method has the advantage of creating a surface profile on the substrate. The bristle wires are specifically designed to hit an accelerator bar incorporated in the equipment, which propels them onto the substrate to remove rust, existing coatings, paints, sealants and contaminations.
While the circulating power wire brush does clean the surface and create a surface profile (without a flat area between the valleys), it is different than the traditional power wire brush cleaning for its usage and purpose.
Notwithstanding the above, it does provide a good alternative to loose abrasive blast cleaning for small sections of steelwork or general maintenance, repair, weld seams and fieldjoint coating.
The equipment is available in the electric type, cordless or pneumatic type, as illustrated.
The wire bristles are made from spring steel and stainless spring steel and can be sharpened/changed regularly to maintain the cleanliness and surface profile standards / levels required.
The Bristle Blaster® is the world’s first and only hand-held power tool that produces a quality of surface roughness comparable to that achieved by grit blasting in the field.
It is a patented ‘blasting without grit’ alternative surface preparation method to hand and mechanical power tools. And it creates a surface cleanliness similar to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2.5 (SSPC-SP 10, near white metal blast cleaning).
It has been developed and significantly enhanced over the years. Today, a wide range of Bristle Blaster tools are available, including:
• Bristle Blaster® Pneumatic, which has ATEX approval
• Bristle Blaster® Electric Single, 110V and 240V units for standard electric power sources
• Bristle Blaster® Cordless, electric battery operated for use in remote locations
FIG_4 Power (Rotary) Steel Wire Brushes
FIG_5 Pneumatic Bristle Blaster
FIG_6 Briste Blaster Belts with the red innerring
• Bristle Blaster® Double, 110V and 240V, fits 2 x 23mm Bristle Blaster belts for Double the Bristle Blasting area
• Bristle Blaster® Axial – specially designed for difficult-to-reach areas such as weld seams, corners, flanges and more
• Bristle Blaster® Subsea – for underwater surface preparation
• Bristle Blaster® Prepper® Q4 – for fieldjoint coating (custumises)
The Bristle Blasting process is an innovation that both removes corrosion and generates an anchor profile by using specially designed rotary carbon and stainless spring steel bristle belts.
A Bristle Blaster® belt consists of spring steel wire bristle tips that are
bent forward and dynamically tuned to the hand-held power tool. The bristle tips are specially designed and sharpened to strike the corroded surface with kinetic energy that is equivalent to conventional blasting processes that use grit blast media.
Immediately after the bristle tips strike the corroded steel surface, they retract from the substrate, which results in the
FIG_7 Tool sets are available in a carton box and in plastic toolboxes
removal of mill scale, rust, and existing paints and creates a new surface profile where the peaks and the valleys form a continuous pattern with no smooth, unprofiled areas.
Consequently, surfaces that have been treated by Bristle Blasting have a texture and visual cleanliness that mimics those obtained by conventional grit blasting processes.
For best use of the tool(s), it is highly recommended that the user is trained by qualified individuals. Understanding the proper technique and approaches to different applications are important for best results and in ensuring efficient use of the tools and belts to ensure the best possible coating and sealant bond.
Grinders
Compared to the rubber-based sanding pads, grinders use a solid disk of various sizes to clean steel surfaces. Grinders are generally used in the protective coatings industry to remove steel irregularities such as sharp edges, weld spatter, shelling and laminations. The grinder can easily gouge into the steel surface and must be used with caution but can be effective in removing scale.
Various sizes and grades of abrasive wheels are available on the grinder, which are electrically powered.
For further details on pre-preparation of steelwork refer to ISO 8501 -3 Preparation of steel substrates before application of paints and related products - Group A: Visual assessment of surface cleanlinessPart A3: Preparation of welds, cut edges and other areas with surface imperfections.
Needle Guns
Needle guns are classified as impact cleaning tools and are used in removing brittle coatings and thick rust or scale.
Needle guns have been used in the coatings industry for many years. The tools are usually air operated with a simple connection to a compressed air line. However, electric versions are also used.
The tool is used for both pre-surface preparation and as a method of surface preparation itself. The body of the equipment holds bundles of steel needles which are pushed by the equipment piston, hitting the needles against the substrate.
The needle sizes are normally 1-3mm (0.04 to 0.11 inch) in diameter and hit the substrate 2,000 – 3,000 times per minute.
Chisel Guns
Chisel guns, also known as power or hammer chisels are sometimes used to remove heavy rust and scale before the specified surface preparation such as abrasive blast cleaning. Various sized chisels are available to suit the specific task.
Images supplied by Montipower (Montipower.com) and the surface prep guide in cooperation with Corrodere from the UK
Drs. JF Doddema
MONTI-GROUP CEO & Partner
FIG 8 Cordless freedom to operate. Any battery from the CAS Cordless Alliance will fit on the tool
FIG_11 Pneumatic chisel gun
FIG 10 The needle gu
FIG_9 a grinder is a tool used extensively for prepreparation of steelwork
Automated carriers are programmed to move in a specific pattern across metal surfaces so operators can complete a thorough cleaning without any missed areas or unnecessary overlap, ensuring an efficient process
FOCUS
Streamlining Surface Cleaning IN
Introducing new methods for efficient industrial cleaning, by Rich Gomes, Director of Sales, Jetstream of Houston LLP.
Robotic waterblasting carriers attach to magnetic surfaces, allowing operators to remain safely at ground level while operating the robot through a remote control from up to 100 feet (30m) away
High-pressure water blasting for surface cleaning is not a new concept. Hand lancing is a common option for surface preparation and industrial cleaning applications. However, operators with hand lances often miss spots or can’t clean adequately due to the high precision the job requires. This can result in dirty spots or the operator going over the same area multiple times.
Water blasting manufacturers have moved forward by leaps and bounds in recent years, bringing the industry into the 21st century by introducing automated methods that have revolutionised industrial cleaning. Automated industrial cleaning options increase safety and offer more efficiency than more traditional hand-held water-blasting tools.
Automated cleaning options
High-pressure water blasting breaks down dirt, grime and old paint without damaging the surface underneath. The process leaves surfaces prepped and cleaned, removing everything from rust to old coatings to product residue or even damaged concrete.
Water blasting can be used on many types of surface, even those that are at height. For example, sometimes traditional methods can require crews to climb scaffolding with a water-blasting gun in hand and spend hours directing up to 40,000 psi of high-pressure water at close range, trying to thoroughly clean every square inch of a surface. This method comes with drawbacks. The work is physically exhausting and dangerous, calling for regular breaks to reduce fatigue and keep operators sharp for careful operation.
Whilst there will always be a time and place for hand lancing, new automated robotic carrier systems are revolutionising industrial cleaning applications. Automated carriers are programmed to move in a specific pattern across metal surfaces so operators can complete a thorough cleaning without any missed areas or unnecessary overlap, ensuring an efficient, productive process. The robotic carriers attach with magnets, allowing operators to remain safely at ground level whilst operating the robot through a remote control.
Some systems feature four-wheel drive, a wide range of motion – both up and down and side to side – and the ability to drive upsidedown, allowing use on nearly any magnetic surface. The carriers are connected through
Automated waterblasting systems present clear productivity and profitability benefits for industrial cleaning and surface preparation applications, achieving removal and cleaning rates of up to 40 square meters per hour for paint removal jobs
an umbilical line to a control panel where an operator directs the robot from up to 100ft (30m) away, significantly reducing the risk of injury from high-pressure water and hoses. Fall protection lines secure the robot for safety.
The benefits of automation
Although traditional, manual methods may get the job done at the end of the day, or a few days, they sacrifice efficiency. Automated water-blasting systems don’t need regular work breaks, safety protocol reminders or training on how to implement best practices. To put it simply, the automated systems ensure continual operation and faster project completion.
When it comes to the impact on the bottom line, many contractors find that for a cost similar to – or sometimes less than –scaffolding setup, two robots cut their other costs in half. Automated carriers often require half the number of water-blasting units and half the number of nozzles. Four crews can become four operators: one for each robot
and pump. Additionally, a smaller crew size and enhanced safety reduces the risk of injury and resulting worker compensation claims.
Automated water-blasting systems present clear productivity and profitability benefits. They can achieve cleaning and removal rates of up to 40 square metres (430 square feet) per hour for paint removal jobs. In the surface preparation industry, where contractors are paid per square metre, this increases profits by allowing contractors to move on to the next job faster.
To fully realise the benefits of an automated approach to cleaning, it’s important to integrate the robotic carrier into a cohesive system that will maximise the overall efficiency of the job. This includes the pump, connections, nozzles, safety gear and – for some applications – a vacuum system.
Hazardous material collection
Open water-blasting systems use a swing arm and do not include a vacuum system. This provides benefits in terms of speed and
efficiency. The method is cost-effective because it doesn’t require a vacuum pump and truck.
Closed water blasting with a vacuum blast can collect all materials, including the used water, along with any paint, debris or other hazardous material. This leaves behind a completely clean and dry surface, which combats rust and allows for immediate resurfacing. Closed water blasting also allows the hazardous material to be collected and properly disposed of. Some operations even treat the water to allow safe disposal on site.
Closed systems also remove vapour from the air, which improves visibility especially when operating in an enclosed area such as a storage tank. If considering this option, look for a manufacturer who can offer all aspects for the closed water-blasting system – from the robot to the vacuum to the pump.
Powerful pump technology
Whilst the new technology of an automated system might receive all the glory and
attention, the fact remains that with any water blasting system, the pump is the heart of productivity. The efficiency of an automated system means little without a pump system that minimises downtime and matches the robotic carrier in efficiency.
The key to finding the right pump begins with identifying the correct size for the application. When cleaning water scale, coke, ore or lime from reactors, storage tanks or other facilities in steel mills, an operation should look for water-blasting pumps able to push out 10,000-20,000 psi. However, when looking for surface preparation and cleaning for paint, rust, salt, concrete or marine growth, operators should consider a pump that can reach up to 36,000 psi. For maximum versatility, contractors also require a pump that features interchangeable fluid ends. With this technology, crews can quickly and easily convert the pump to different operating pressures to match their full range of jobs.
As maintenance is unavoidable, operations benefit from pumps that allow streamlined servicing with a simple design and a minimal number of parts. Those that use splash lubrication for oil do not contain an oil pump that can fail and cause a loss in oil circulation. Additionally, pumps that feature oversized roller and journal bearings and a forged crankshaft tend to have a long lifespan and maintenance intervals as long as 500 hours. Valves tend to be the most frequent wear item on water-blasting pumps, so opting for a pump that enables valve change-outs in the field in five minutes or less has a huge impact on productivity. Additionally, considerations should include easy access to internal components and no special tool requirements.
Water blasting safety doesn’t end where the water flows. Like the carriers they power, water-blast pumps should support safety on the job site. Consider pumps that feature a locking rod box that protects the operator from moving parts and high-pressure water whilst also providing ease of service.
Automated solutions
Contractors that use automated waterblasting systems experience a boost in their bottom line, especially when they work with a trusted manufacturer. Surface cleaning tasks are far from glamorous, but the right automated tools can make it a much brighter –and safer – experience. ■
The efficiency of an automated waterblasting system is dependent on a pump system that minimises downtime and paces the robotic carrier in efficiency
Using biomimetics to unlock hull coatings
Nippon Paint Marine has published its white paper entitled Breathing life into science; creating the next generation of hull coatings using biomimetics, detailing the role that biomimetics has played in the development of its patented HydroSmoothXT technology.
Aspecialist team from Nippon Paint Marine’s R&D programme that included experts in polymer science, biochemistry, fluid dynamics and marine science studied the natural characteristics of marine life to inform the development of the HydroSmoothXT technology to be used in their industry-leading coatings. This approach to technology development, imitating nature, is known as biomimetics. The performance of Nippon Paint Marine’s antifouling coatings range – which includes LF-Sea, A-LF-Sea, and Fastar – has been enhanced using this technology, and it has been applied to more than 5,000 vessels.
By replicating the natural surficial film found on the skin of marine life, Nippon Paint Marine researchers have been able to develop coatings that minimise friction, reduce fuel consumption and lower vessel emissions.
In collaboration with institutions including Kobe and Osaka Universities, the project team focused on replicating these natural characteristics to aid in the development of specifically-designed hydrogels for paints; the scientific theory being that a hull coating could be created that essentially ‘traps’ a layer of seawater against the surface membrane, which increases the boundary layer around a vessel’s hull and reduces friction. Subsequent products such as LF-Sea and A-LF-Sea, which incorporated this enhanced performance hydrogel, generated fuel and emissions savings of up to 12.3%.
Further enhancement
The development in Nippon Paint Marine’s antifouling range was further enhanced by the introduction of nanotechnology. The Fastar product range uses a unique hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanodomain resin structure to achieve unparalleled antifouling performance, which can deliver fuel savings of over 14% thanks to an average speed loss of just 1.2% over a 60-month period. This compares to the market average speed loss of 5.9% over a similar time period.
As the industry looks to innovative technologies to help achieve decarbonisation targets, Nippon Paint Marine’s R&D team is committed to drawing inspiration from the unique characteristics of the natural environment to inform the development of coating technologies that will support customers in their efforts to reduce their carbon emissions.
“The development of our patented hydrogel and nanodomain technologies typifies our commitment to customer-centric innovation,” explains Kazuaki Masuda, Corporate Officer, Technical Division Director, Nippon Paint Marine. “Maritime owners and operators face a web of constantly evolving challenges, and it is the mission of our R&D team to deliver pioneering technology that supports the industry as it navigates these challenges. At Nippon Paint Marine, we believe that by studying the secrets of the natural environment, we can continue to develop even more innovations that will play a vital role in contributing to the maritime industry’s efforts to decarbonise.” ■
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A composite wrap for aqueous environments
For over 16 years, the composite wrap system Belzona SuperWrap II has been applied throughout multiple industries to restore the strength of holed, weakened and corroded assets. Now, the R&D Department at Belzona Ltd has honed the capabilities of this technology so that, with the new epoxy resin Belzona 1984, it is now optimised to be applied in aqueous environments, explains Belzona’s Chloe Hirst.
The application of a composite wrap system in a submerged environment
One of the key individuals behind the development of the new surface-tolerant composite repair system, Ian Wade, Technical Services Manager at Belzona Ltd, explains: “The Belzona SuperWrap II compliant system already features three resins designed for different application and service temperatures. Belzona 1984 is the latest development in this system, engineered specifically with surface tolerance in mind. This resin can be applied directly to damp, wet and underwater surfaces without the need for abrasive blasting.”
He continues: “Once cured, Belzona 1984 resists temperatures of up to 50°C (122°F) and can be applied in temperatures ranging from 5°C to 40°C (41°F-104°F). The Belzona SuperWrap II system can be applied as a composite wrap, pad, plate or patch, depending on the application requirements.”
Full compliance
The Belzona 1984 system has undergone rigorous testing and is fully approved for compliance with ISO 24817 and ASME PCC-2 standards. These tests utilised samples which were applied and cured underwater in artificial seawater, representing the worst-case and most aggressive environments. Compliance with these standards demonstrates how Belzona SuperWrap II is optimised for use in a variety of challenging environments, making it a welcome addition to many a maintenance engineer’s repertoire of repair solutions.
In order to apply Belzona SuperWrap II to ISO/ASME standards, applicators are required to complete a rigorous training programme at one of Belzona’s 16 training centres worldwide. By thoroughly equipping applicators with the skills and expertise to successfully apply the system, this ensures that an excellent standard of application is maintained.
Ian Wade, Technical Services Manager at Belzona
Application and service temperatures of Belzona SuperWrap II resins
To uphold this standard, every two years Belzona’s Corporate Belzona SuperWrap II Trainer Committee conducts a mandatory audit of all SuperWrap II trainers, facilities and internal staff. Upon successful completion of the audit, Belzona SuperWrap II accreditations are renewed. Again, this process is designed to ensure a consistently safe and successful application of the composite wrap system.
Asset rehabilitation
As industries continue to ratchet up their carbon mitigation measures in line with the net-zero by 2050 pathway, the use of
polymeric repair and protection technology offers a real boon for maintenance engineers. The process of replacing damaged assets incurs a hefty carbon footprint, not to mention considerable financial expenditure. With polymeric technology, engineers can successfully bypass the carbon- and costintensive process of replacement, and instead rehabilitate their assets and protect them against future damage. Now, this can be achieved even in the most challenging application environments thanks to the surface-tolerant epoxy resin Belzona 1984. ■
S composite wrap system, Belzona SuperWrap II, incorporating Belzona 1984
Belzona’s new 1984 surfacetolerant epoxy repair resin
EV battery manufacturing: Managing risk from the floor up UPDATE
As the world transitions to electric vehicles (EVs), we’re witnessing the birth of a whole new industry, complete with its own unique challenges and solutions, explain Cesar Ivan Hernandez, Project Development Manager – High Value Infrastructure, and Richard Kay – Manufacturing & Processing – Regional Marketing Segment Leader, Sherwin-Williams.
EV battery plants are just one part of this evolution. And with no wellestablished blueprint for construction, manufacturers have, to date, had little evidence-based guidance. Now, new data on the effectiveness of industrial coatings in mitigating risks such as n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMp) erosion and carbon black contamination, are helping to plug the gap, aiding the rightfirst-time development of facilities.
With global investment in electrical machinery construction, including EV battery plants, hitting $35.2 billion in 2023, this emerging sector represents a huge growth opportunity.
As an industry, however, it is still in its infancy. As such, manufacturers are tasked with building the protocols they need to guide the safe, effective and sustainable development of their facilities from the ground up.
These processes need to account for the unique challenges of EV battery production. The risk of NMp erosion and carbon black disposition, for example, mean that standard epoxy resin floors, widely used in the construction industry when corrosive agents are involved in the manufacturing process, may not be the best solution. In addition, the increased fire risk associated with EV battery production also requires careful consideration.
NMp erosion
In lithium-ion battery manufacturing, NMp is used as a solvent in carbon anode and lithium cobalt oxide cathode binder resins, as well as a coating and gel-polymer for separators and electrolytes.
Most coating suppliers have tested their products’ ability to withstand uncovered NMp, which typically evaporates within several hours. Sherwin-Williams’ ASTM D1308-standard evaluation, however, found that when the solvent is covered by foil or plastic, exposure can result in deterioration of standard epoxy flooring coating and leaching into the concrete substrate within two hours. Over time, this
when Sherwin-Williams measured the dynamic coefficient of friction of epoxy floors exposed to carbon black, it did not even register a reading on the instrumentation.
will prematurely break down the flooring, with particularly weak points being the joint between stainless steel plate and concrete and resinous flooring systems, underneath drums or pallets, and around hosing or pipes that may ‘leak’ between uses.
The health and safety implications of this reaction are obvious. It poses the risk of slips and trips and obstructs the effective cleaning of facilities.
A modified urethane coating system, however, has been shown to be resistant to NMp for 14 full days even under the most robust of testing conditions, i.e. under glass.
In a series of tests, the surface of a panel treated with the coating was exposed to NMp for four, six, eight, 10, and 12 hours. The coating was then visually checked for swelling, gloss change, haze and any other changes. Scratch pencil hardness was also tested, using 3H and 6H pencils, immediately and at one hour post exposure. The researchers found no visual signs of change, and all panels passed the scratch test.
Sherwin-Williams has also worked with a partner to perform on-site testing of the coatings’ NMp-resistant properties with their slurry and insulation.
Together, these studies show that the modified urethane coating system could help reduce the risk of NMp exposure-related flooring deterioration and help the effective clean-up of the substance at EV battery plants.
Carbon black slip hazard
Carbon black is a graphite-like material used in the battery slurry for both anode and cathode manufacturing. Its fine particles are deposited onto production floors during manufacturing processes and are then picked up by people and trolleys and carried throughout the facility.
This can be a huge slip risk. In fact, when Sherwin-Williams measured the dynamic coefficient of friction of epoxy floors exposed to carbon black, it did not even register a reading on the instrumentation. In other words, the floor would be more slippery than ice.
Smooth floors are essential for the easy cleaning of carbon black contamination. Yet the aggregates commonly added to resin floors to increase slip resistance can have the opposite effect, resulting in a textured surface that makes clean-up challenging.
Sherwin-Williams’ specialist carbon blackresistant coating, however, provides a smooth and easy-to-clean finish. What’s more, it has
a slip coefficient reading of 0.72, close to the industry standard of 0.42, reducing the slip hazard even between cleanings.
Fire safety
Fire safety is, of course, an essential consideration in any facility. But Li-ion batteries can release flammable, toxic gases when failing or overheating, and these can trigger a fastspreading, difficult-to-extinguish fire.
A typical building fire will generate heat of around 1,000°C, but steel, a common material for beams and pillars, will lose around 50% of its strength at just 593°C.
Fire-resistant coatings expand under heat to protect the underlying steel for as long as possible, providing a potentially life-saving window for staff evacuation.
Quality by design
In construction, best practice involves building facilities that are easy to clean, using materials and processes that reduce risk as much as possible. There is, however, a lack of data on the best solutions to the unique challenges of EV battery facilities.
Sherwin-Williams, the first company to test its coating solutions in EV battery facilities, is proud to be part of the move to change that. We have shown that specialist coatings can
reduce and mitigate the risks associated with NMp erosion, carbon black trips and slips and battery-related fires from the start, and make for more efficient running of plants on a dayto-day basis.
As the industry matures, we will continue to test and prove the performance of our solutions, to help members of this relatively new sector embrace the opportunities – and build risk management into construction from the floor up.
With the unique challenges of EV battery productionincluding N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMp) erosion and carbon black disposition – standard epoxy resin floors may not be the best solution
Polyurethane bar floor revitalisation
The latest stage of the partnership between HMG Paints and Manchester, UK football club FC United has been completed, with the successful refurbishment of the St. Mary’s Road End (SMRE) Bar floor at Broadhurst Park.
The bar, known for its unique display of club memorabilia and its vibrant community atmosphere, has been refreshed by staff and volunteers with a new grey finish using HMG’s Polyurethane Floor Paint.
The project is the latest phase of the club’s commitment to creating a welcoming and versatile space for fans, players, students and community groups alike. The SMRE Bar, painted in FC United’s traditional colours of red, black, and white, not only honours the club’s history but also provides a comfortable environment for fans to gather before and after games to enjoy a pint and watch bands, poets and comedians together.
Beyond match days, the SMRE space serves a dual purpose. The far end can be isolated to create a classroom space for the FC United Academy, where young players continue their education before hitting the club’s 3G pitches. Additionally, the versatile room is regularly used by community groups on evenings, weekends and during school holidays, providing a safe and functional space for various activities.
Paul Haworth, FC United’s Commercial Manager, expressed his gratitude, stating: “Thanks to the help of HMG Paints the floor looks great. The fresh flooring and updated paintwork across the bar add a professional touch to the space, making it more inviting for
fans, staff, students and community groups. We appreciate the support from HMG Paints and the hard work of our volunteers.”
Durable coating
HMG’s Polyurethane Floor Paint used in the project is a single-pack, versatile and durable floor coating. Suitable for internal and external use, it provides good resistance to oils, grease, and thankfully beer spilt by celebrating supporters, and is designed for areas subject to light to medium foot traffic. The paint is easy to apply, touch-dry within two hours, and can be recoated after 16 hours. For added safety, the paint can also be formulated to be low-slip, with the addition of HMG’s Low Slip Additive.
James Burton of HMG Paints added: “It’s great to see the bar looking so good, and it’s a great showcase for Manchester and the community nature of the club. Supporters can enjoy the new-look bar knowing the paint is made locally by fellow fans, and enjoy a pint of Joseph Holt beer which is also brewed in Manchester. The integration between local people, businesses and the club is what helps make FC United such a special club, and we’re proud to partner with them.”
Polyurethane Floor Paint is just one of the products featured in HMG’s new Sport Venues Coating Guide, which features a whole portfolio of products and useful information. ■
HMG’s Polyurethane Floor Paint used in the project is a single-pack, versatile and durable floor coating
Coatings Radar App development
Coatings Radar App is a unique tool, ensuring the information gathered in a coating survey is concise, accurate and consistent.
The app gives clear and concise visualisation to compare with international standards on rusting, blistering, flaking and cracking. It can be used to demonstrate the coating condition in comparison to the Re and Ri scale, including coatings that have been immersed in seawater.
“The idea was mine as I do a lot of coatings surveys and have to review a lot of coating surveys for clients,” explains Brendan Fitzsimons, Managing Director Fitz-Coatings Ltd. “There is no particular industry standard and there is a lot of inconsistency with regard to coatings surveys. The app was developed to give the industry the consistency it needs and covers every aspect of conducting coating surveys. It has already been referred to as the bible for coating surveys.”
The Coatings Radar App was originally designed to support students who have completed the Corrodere Academy’s Coating Surveys course, and includes Fitz’s Atlas of Coating Surveys within the Manuals and Standards section.
More options have since been created for corporate companies to purchase the app as a package, giving multiple employees access. The bespoke version of the app can be designed to allow companies to customise it with logos and colours. Users will also be able to import their own documents and files in the form of PDFs. The bespoke version comes with unlimited licences for employees.
Development
The Coatings Radar App took two years to develop. “A specialist software engineer was employed to take the idea and produce the app,” says Fitzsimons. “It can be used on all iPhones, iPads and iMacs along with Android system phones and tablets. The app can be also taken to the workplace and does not need WiFi.”
The Coatings Radar App was reviewed by 20 coating specialists around the world and is currently under long-term field testing with a number of paint companies, inspection organisations and coating consultants.
When asked: do you have any plans to add additional functionality/capability? Fitzsimons replied: “There will additional functions added in 2025, including web support, report writing and a photo library interface.”
Interactive contents
The Coatings Radar App features a number of different sections including Rust Scale, Paints & Varnishes, Industrial Structures, Industrial Tests and Manuals & Standards.
Rust Scale
The Re Scale is a widely used international reference for assessing the level of rusting on a coated surface. It is based on the ‘European Scale of Degree of Rusting for Anticorrosive Paints,’ which was developed in the 1960s and is still relevant today. This document includes black and white photographs of different degrees of rusting on a steel substrate coated with an oil-based, air-drying anticorrosive paint.
The Coating Radar App also offers examples of actual structures (marine, offshore, wind, petrochemical) with variable degrees of corrosion as per the Re Scale.
The marine area features a full and detailed explanation of what Rust Staining and General Staining is and includes IACS clarification details on good, fair and poor coating conditions. It is ideal for assessing the condition of in-service coatings used in marine environments. It can determine the overall condition of the coatings and the vulnerable locations for coating breakdown, including welds and edges.
Paints & Varnishes
The Paints & Varnishes section features ISO 4628, which is the evaluation of degradation of coatings – designation of quantity and size of defects, and of intensity of uniform changes in appearance, and has 10 parts.
Coatings Radar details four of the defects for interactive evaluation of coatings:-
. Blistering (ISO 4628-2)
. Rusting (ISO 4628-3)
. Cracking (ISO 4628-4)
. Flaking (ISO 4628-5)
Blistering Tools features an interactive blistering visualisation in which you can set the blister size, density and paint colour.
Rusting Tools features an interactive rusting visualisation in which you can set the percentage of rust which compares the Re Scale number and paint colour. Localised and scattered rust is detailed.
Cracking Tools features an interactive cracking visualisation for cracking without and with one preferential direction in the app. You can set the percentage and size of the cracking for both preferential directions and paint colours. Localised and scattered rust is detailed.
Flaking Tools features an interactive flaking visualisation for flaking without and with one preferential direction in the app. You can set the percentage and density of the flaking for both preferential directions and paint colours.
Industrial Structures
The Coatings Radar App has an entire interactive section in which the user can
compare new and old structures on the extent of rust of a coated surface using the ‘European Scale of Degree of Rusting for Anticorrosive Paints’ and ISO 4628-3 Paints and varnishes – Evaluation of degradation of coatings – Designation of quantity and size of defects, and of intensity of uniform changes in appearance – Assessment of degree of rusting.
Industrial Tests and Manuals & Standards
The Coatings Radar also offers the users comprehensive information on Coating Adhesion, Coating Surveys, Sampling and Coating Thickness and has several materials and Standards documents to assist with conducting a coating survey in its Manuals and Standards section.
“This is a really valuable app,” says Rob Marsden from Jotun. “Having this ‘in the pocket’ of an inspector or surveyor is a great day-to-day tool. Most of my team still carry a Fitz’s Atlas in their glove box, and this brings a whole new digital age to that, with the addition of a huge resource of standards and coating information.”
“It is excellent and the interactive and video items are really good,” says Trevor Parry, Coatings Consultant. “It will be of particular use during surveys to assess the extent of coating breakdown, as different surveyors often have widely different opinions on estimating the percentages involved. Also, to have all the relevant standards in one place is extremely useful.” ■
News from the Corrodere Academy in partnership with PCE Magazine
Corrodere Academy provides globally recognised accredited training and qualifications to the protective coatings and corrosion control industry. Their aim is to raise standards throughout the industry worldwide and help students learn, discover and succeed.
Spotlight on our Registered Companies - Access and Coating Group
Access and Coating Group offer our Train the painter programme to their employees in Kazakhstan and have been going from strength to strength.
Coating Manager Sergiu Carp is the Approved Trainer who trains their team with the TTP programme...
“I have been working in the coating industry for 30 years and teach this course because I enjoy sharing valuable insights and best practices with our specialists.
Currently, there is no dedicated school or training program for the coating industry here, which makes it challenging for specialists to advance their careers. At ACG, we are committed to promoting and developing highly qualified professionals in this field.
We look forward to continued collaboration with the Corrodere Academy in the future!”
Rachael Bennett has recently joined us as Training Coordinator!
Rachael is supporting our students throughout their studies, covering the role while Christine is on maternity leave.
Rachael has worked in Learning and Development for the past 10 years for several global companies. She is passionate about coaching and developing people and helping them become the best versions of themselves and is enjoying guiding our students through their learning journey.
S E Railway join Corrodere’s Train the painter programme
South East Railway Ltd has become an affiliate of Corrodere Academy’s Train the Painter programme, reinforcing its commitment to excellence in rail maintenance and infrastructure protection. S E Railway is offering leading industrial coating application training to ensure durable, sustainable, and high-quality project outcomes across the rail network.
With extensive expertise in rail, residential, and commercial construction, this partnership with Corrodere Academy further strengthens S E Railway’s dedication to quality and safety, ensuring infrastructure is built to last while meeting the highest industry standards.
New member of the Corrodere team
Corrodere attend Tech Day in Thailand
Our Training Director David Eyre recently travelled to Rayong, Thailand for a Tech Day with our Sales Agent in the region – ARKCO.
The day was hosted at Growell Engineering and David had the privilege of presenting Corrodere Academy’s courses to the audience of industry professionals.
The spotlight was on Train the painter and Coating Inspection courses, which ARKCO will now deliver locally.
The day also featured a practical session showcasing equipment from suppliers.
A big thank you to ARKCO and everyone involved for making this event a success.
Royal Society of Chemistry approves Corrodere’s Diploma in Coatings for Corrosion
Control
We’re thrilled to announce our highest-level qualification has been approved by Royal Society of Chemistry, attesting to its high quality and suitability for professional development through independent verification.
To find out more about studying this diploma online please contact the Corrodere Academy Enquiries@corrodere.com +44 (0)1252 732 236
Corrodere Academy renews 10-year partnership agreement with the Institute of Corrosion to continue providing accredited courses
Corrodere Academy, a global provider of coatings and corrosion control training and certification, recently signed a 10- year partnership agreement with the Institute of Corrosion (ICorr). This long-term collaboration will ensure Corrodere continue to provide industry professionals with essential skills for combating global corrosion issues.
The agreement was formalised with a visit to Corrodere’s office from ICorr President Yunnan Gao, where he signed the agreement with Corrodere’s Managing Director, Andrew Deere. The extended collaboration underpins both organisations’ dedication to excellence in corrosion prevention through education and training, ensuring that industry standards remain high and that professionals across the field have access to accredited and respected qualifications.
Dr Yunnan Gao commented:
“As the President of the institute of Corrosion, I am thrilled to announce this further extension of our long-term partnership with Corrodere Academy, with whom we have been closely associated since 2010. This agreement not only strengthens our commitment to advancing professional competence in corrosion control but also ensures that industry professionals continue to have access to world-class training and accredited qualifications. Corrodere’s rigorous, ICorr-accredited programmes in areas such
as coating inspection and thermal metal spray provide vital skills needed to combat corrosion on a global scale. By renewing our partnership, we reaffirm our dedication to equipping professionals with the expertise necessary to meet today’s industry challenges and maintain high standards across the field.”
Corrodere Academy’s suite of ICorraccredited courses includes:
• ICorr Coating Inspection Levels 1, 2, and 3
• Pipeline Coating Inspection
• Insulation Coating Inspection
• Thermal Metal Spray Inspection
• Hot Dip Galvanising Inspection
• Coating Surveys
These courses are designed to meet the stringent demands of the protective coatings industry, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to inspect, evaluate, and ensure the effective application of coatings.
“This new Agreement extends our working relationship with ICorr and allows us to continue our mission of delivering top-quality training that meets the rigorous standards of the corrosion industry. Our shared vision with ICorr drives us to continuously improve and innovate, ensuring our courses provide real-world benefits to professionals and the industry alike. We look forward to building on the success of our strategic partnership”
Andrew Deere – Managing Director at Corrodere Academy
This 10-year agreement not only reinforces ICorr’s endorsement of Corrodere’s courses, but also highlights the essential role of accredited training in the coatings industry. With this continued collaboration, ICorr and Corrodere Academy are committed to uphold and enhance the professional standards that safeguard the integrity and longevity of critical infrastructure and assets.
For more information about ICorr-accredited courses at Corrodere Academy, please visit corrodere.com.
PCE January - March 2025 Issue
The Leading Protective Coatings Magazine
SPECIAL EDITORIAL FEATURES:
• Waterborne Coatings
• Tank & Pipeline Coatings
• Heritage Coatings
• Raw Materials
Focus: Nanotechnology
Bonus distribution:
• EGYPES 2025 – Cairo
• Surface World – Birmingham
• European Coatings Show- Nuremburg
PCE will continue to showcase its regular features; Lifting the Lid, Upfront and Spotlight, as well as featuring the latest news and developments in marine and offshore coatings
PCE International is published quarterly by MPI Group Peel house, Upper South View, Farnham, Surrey. GU9 7JN. UK
To advertise in the magazine, on the website and /or newsletter contact Nick Carugati: nick@pce-international.com
Corrodere Academy Registered Companies and Affiliate Providers
AkzoNobel has launched the Interpon A5000 range of powder coating to give reliable, consistent and long-lasting protection to commercial vehicles for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers looking to combine performance with sustainability.
Interpon A5000 is a range of powder coatings for the chassis, body, and multiple parts of a commercial vehicle that addresses a series of customer needs. It delivers optimum levels of corrosion protection in challenging environments, with a durable finish in a choice of colours that last longer, protecting a manufacturer’s brand reputation. It’s a product that OEMs can also trust to be consistent worldwide, thanks to AkzoNobel’s global manufacturing footprint.
From trucks and trailers to buses and specialty vehicles, commercial vehicles need powder coating solutions that are as robust as the parts they protect. The full range comprises not only primers but also topcoats and clearcoats, and coatings that are designed to withstand multiple challenges. These include damage caused by corrosion and UV light, or through chemicals like petrol, diesel, oil and other chemicals.
The range also includes products with lower curing temperatures, further reducing processing times, energy consumption and waste while delivering consistently high levels of performance and quality. And being powder coatings, they are free from volatile organic compounds and generate almost zero waste, since any overspray can be recycled and reused.
Central to the range is the Interpon A5500 powder coating, a smooth primer that is ideally suited for use on the body of truck cabs, front grills and bumpers. The primer is more sustainable than ‘traditional’ alternatives, thanks to the absence of any VOCs and flexibility in the coating process. It serves as the perfect basecoat not only for powders, but also for a liquid topcoat, enabling manufacturers to harness the benefits of both coatings.
HYDROGEN-POWERED SPRAY BOOTHS
One of the automotive industry’s first hydrogenpowered spray booths has been installed by AkzoNobel at a new training centre in Belgium.
Located near Brussels, the groundbreaking facility is part of a multi-million euro programme to expand and upgrade the company’s network of more than 40 Automotive Training Centres (ATCs), which are located across the globe.
Designed to go beyond local and legislative requirements, the new spray booth highlights how embracing the latest technologies can contribute to more sustainable operations. The site itself – which is 30% larger than the one it’s replacing – has been constructed to be BREEAM certified, further demonstrating AkzoNobel’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions across the full value chain by 2030.
“The industry of the future requires painters of the future who are fully conversant with the latest technologies and techniques,” says Patrick Bourguignon, director of the company’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business. “By increasing the size of our
Belgian facility by almost a third, we can accommodate more technology – such as the new spray booth – and train more people.
“We’ll be able to show bodyshop personnel how the latest technologies can reduce carbon emissions, lower drying times and consume less energy, helping to drive the industry in a more sustainable direction.”
The hydrogen-powered combi spray booth is fully equipped for traditional repairs and includes an all-in-one repairs workstation. It also has
a special air filtration system which uses ‘active carbon’ to filter any volatile organic compounds (VOCs) generated during the painting process.
An extra-high efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) produces clean air (up to 99%), which is filtered back out into the atmosphere.
A wide range of training programmes is offered by the ATCs, including application training, product and system training, and training in new digital colour processes. There’s a particular emphasis on quality improvement, process improvement and repairs to radar-capable vehicles, as well as the new generation of electric vehicles.
Jetstream has introduced a combination manifold for its 4200 Series UNx Bareshaft pump
NEW WATER-BLASTING COMBINATION MANIFOLD
Jetstream of Houston, a leading manufacturer of industrial high-pressure water-blasting equipment, parts and accessories, has introduced a combination manifold for its 4200 Series UNx Bareshaft pump. The redesign allows pressure transitions between 10,000 psi to 15,000 psi to 20,000 psi and back again within minutes. The new setup streamlines conversions in the field for contractors who require different operating pressures for various applications.
“The combination manifold design was born from customer feedback. We found more contractors wanting an easier way to convert lower-pressure pumps to 20,000 psi. While conversions between 10,000 and 15,000 psi have always been quick and easy with Jetstream pumps, conversions to 20,000 psi have required changing the manifold and valves,” said John Schaer, New Products Engineering Manager at Jetstream. “With the new design, fewer parts are needed for the change-out, saving time and money.”
The new combination manifold allows for a safe and easy transition between lower and higher pressures by simply changing the gland nut, packing, plunger and fittings. The redesigned UniValve can now handle 10,000 to 20,000 psi with conversions in less than 15 minutes. This update allows contractors to adapt their water-blasting pump for a variety of projects without the need to purchase or store as many additional components.
MELAMINE ALTERNATIVE LAUNCHED
Clariant has launched its next-generation melaminefree flame retardant, a safer and forward-thinking solution that provides superior fire resistance and meets the stringent demands of modern industries.
In 2023, melamine was classified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) making
Exolit AP 422 A a valuable asset for the firestop industry, enabling the creation of coating and sealant products that maintain high performance standards without relying on melamine.
In anticipation of the current and future regulatory challenges around melamine, Clariant has been proactively working on this innovative solution for several years, developing an SVHC-free alternative to the existing melamine-containing Exolit AP 422 flame retardant.
“Exolit AP 422 A upholds the trusted reliability that Exolit products are recognised for in the market and ensures that our clients’ fire protection offerings remain competitive, particularly in terms of chemical compliance. It allows manufacturers to adapt to evolving legislation while preserving the effectiveness of their fire safety solutions,” said Sebastian Moschel, Clariant’s Technical Business Development Manager Passive Fire Protection.
The new Exolit AP 422 A addresses the concerns surrounding melamine as an SVHC at the same time as providing superior fire resistance across multiple applications including
intumescent coatings, firestop sealing systems and PIR insulation panels. Its nonhalogenated nature helps minimise hazardous emissions, providing safer usage in critical industries.
BCF AWARDS PRESENTED
The winners of the 2024 British Coatings Federation (BCF) Awards were announced on November 6 at The Milner in York. Over 180 delegates came together at the event to celebrate the industry’s outstanding achievements. Individuals across all sectors of the industry were recognised for their talent and accomplishments in three dedicated categories: Apprentice of the Year Award, won by Elliott Taylor from AkzoNobel; Young Leader of the Year Award, won by Catherine Friar from Hexigone Inhibitors, and Student of the Year Award, which saw Catherine Gibson from PPG Architectural Coatings UK&I win. The celebration of emerging talent in the sector underpins the BCF’s work with its Coatings NextGen Council, a dedicated group committed to promoting awareness of careers opportunities and development within the coatings industry.
Recognising investment in people, PPG Architectural Coatings UK&I was awarded the Diversity and Inclusion Award, followed by AkzoNobel being presented as the winner of the Excellence in Training Award.
The Sustainable Innovation Multinational Award was won by Sun Chemical for AquaHeat Inks, and the Sustainable Innovation SME Award was presented to Belzona for
SF6-FIX. The second Race to Net Zero award had joint winners: Crown Paints in the Multinational category and Anstey Wallpaper Company for SME. This follows the award’s launch in 2023 to coincide with the launch of BCF’s Net Zero Roadmap.
The sustainability theme carried on through the evening with the Coatings Care Progress Award being given to winning site Steyport
in Blackburn, and Overall Best Performer was awarded to AkzoNobel Decorative Paints in Ashington. This year’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award was split into two categories, won by decorative paint reuse schemes Community RePaint (sponsored by AkzoNobel) in the Multinational category and social enterprise Seagulls Reuse for SME.
The Customer Service
Award was also split, presented to Crown Paints for Multinational and Thermaset for SME. For Marketing Campaign of the Year, it was Valspar’s ‘V&ME’ campaign that took home the award for Sherwin-Williams.
NEW DISPERSIONS PRODUCTION LINE
BASF recently officially opened its new production line for water-based dispersions in
The opening of BASF’s new production line
Heerenveen, the Netherlands. Thanks to this new line, production capacity will be increased without additional CO2 emissions. The expansion has taken place on the basis of the existing infrastructure and buildings. The installation will be electrically powered and supplied with green electricity from the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm, which BASF operates in a joint venture with Vattenfall and Allianz.
“I am proud that we have achieved this expansion without additional CO2 emissions. Our site aims to become CO2 neutral and to contribute to BASF’s climate protection targets. At the same time, we want to continue to grow to serve our customers with products with a low ecological footprint,” says Sjoerd Visser, Site Manager of BASF’s Heerenveen site.
JOTUN AT COP29
The shipping industry, responsible for transporting
approximately 90% of the world’s goods, is a fundamental part of the global economy. However, it also contributes significantly to climate change and the transfer of invasive species.
To address this during COP29, Jotun took part in a panel discussion entitled ‘Navigating the Future: Bridging Shipping, Biodiversity, and Decarbonization.’
The importance of hull performance and marine coatings in driving sustainable change within the shipping industry received its needed attention.
Dr. Christer Øpstad, Global R&D Director of Fouling Protection at Jotun, was invited to participate in this important conversation due to Jotun’s near-century of exploring how vessels perform in water. This longstanding commitment has positioned the company at the forefront of efforts to reduce shipping’s carbon emissions and protecting
biodiversity. During The UN Climate Change Conference COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Jotun and other participants had the opportunity to educate, spread awareness and inspire global, national and local communities, as well as organisations, the shipping industry and policymakers.
The panel discussion was held at the Ocean Pavilion in the Blue Zone at COP29. The panel was moderated by Simon Walmsley from the UN Foundation, and besides Jotun it also included Anna Larsson from the World Shipping Council, Rakhi Kasat from the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Noelle Young from Island Innovation’s Caribbean Climate Justice Leaders Academy.
50TH ELECTROSTATIC MARINE COATING APPLICATION
PPG has announced its 50th order for the electrostatic application of marine fouling control coatings. The project will be carried out on the VLCC Sidr, a 336m oil tanker operated by Bahri Ship Management at the Asyad Drydock Company shipyard in Oman, using PPG Nexeon 810 antifouling coating on the hull.
Leveraging decades of experience in the aerospace and automotive industries, PPG introduced electrostatic coating application to the shipping industry just over a year ago. Electrostatic application provides increased transfer efficiency compared with airless spraying, resulting in sustainability benefits including significant reductions in overspray and waste. PPG has optimised its hull coatings for this application technique.
PPG has announced its 50th order for the electrostatic application of marine fouling control coatings
“Ship owners and shipyards are looking for innovative solutions to comply with stricter environmental regulations and meet their sustainability goals – these include low-friction hull coatings that reduce vessel greenhouse gas emissions and provide sustainably advantaged application procedures,” said Sijmen Visser, PPG Sales Director, Marine EMEA, Protective and Marine Coatings. “Electrostatic application is quickly being adopted by large shipping companies and by shipyards in
Europe, Singapore and China.” Conventional fouling control coatings are generally not suitable for electrostatic application. However, the formulation of both PPG Nexeon antifouling and PPG SigmaGlide fouling release coatings allow them to be sprayed electrostatically. Electrically-charged paint particles are precisely guided towards the grounded surface of the vessel, leading to an exceptionally even distribution and the formation of a uniform and ultrasmooth, long-lasting film layer.
In a recent project, EDR Antwerp shipyard confirmed a 40% reduction in overspray with the electrostatic application of PPG SigmaGlide coating on a RoRo passenger vessel from Stena Line. With reduced overspray, electrostatic application provides a cleaner operation and improved work environment for the applicators compared with airless spraying. Shipyards spend less time masking the vessel and cleaning the dock, saving time and costs. ■
