Coatings Issues

Tripartite Nov08

Key Developments

• IMO Guideline for Maintenance & Repair of Coatings

• SOLAS amendment for coating of cargo oil tanks of crude oil carriers.

• Cargo Oil Tank Coating Performance Standard

Guidelines for Maintenance• DE51

– Draft guidelines for maintenance of PSPC coatings• The use of certified inspectors• Restriction of ‘repairs at sea’• Definition of ‘maintenance’ and ‘repair’

– Maintenance means minor coating restoration work regularly performed by a ship’s crew using normal shipboard means and tools to maintain “GOOD” or “FAIR” coating conditions. Maintenance delays or slows down the coating deterioration and effects short term steel protection.

– Repair means coating restoration work of a longer term nature, usually performed during ship’s dry docking or scheduled repair period (ship idle) to restore the “FAIR” or “POOR” coating condition to “GOOD” condition. This will usually require specialized manpower and equipment such as sand blasting equipment, operators and dehumidifiers.

Key Impacts on Industry• Inspecting and maintaining before being assessed by Flag or

Class. • Not maintaining in a ‘Good’ condition will ultimately lead to

expensive repair work.• Location for repairs no longer flexible, i.e. at sea or in repair

yard. • No flexibility in repair specification.• All requirements such as records, inspections, and inspector

qualifications required in PSPC also will apply to repair.• Are repair yards and owners ready….?????

JWG-COTCPS• Draft regulation agreed at DE 513. All cargo oil tanks of crude oil tankers shall be:

.1 coated during the construction of the ship in accordance with the Performance standard for protective coatings for cargo oil tanks of crude oil tankers, adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee by resolution MSC.(...), as may be amended by the Organization, provided that such amendments are adopted, brought into force and take effect in accordance with the provisions of article VIII of the present Convention concerning the amendment procedures applicable to the Annex other than chapter I, or

.2 protected by alternative means of corrosion protection, the effectiveness of which shall be no less than the objectives that are achieved by meeting the requirements under paragraph 3.1 and approved in accordance with the appropriate Performance Standard adopted by the Organization.

4.1 The Administration may exempt a crude oil tanker from

the requirements of paragraph 3 of this regulation to allow the use of novel prototype alternatives to the coating system specified in paragraph 3.1, for testing provided they are subject to suitable controls, regular assessment and acknowledgement of the need for immediate remedial action if the system fails or is shown to be failing. Such exemption shall be recorded on an exemption certificate.

4.2 The Administration may exempt a crude oil tanker from the requirements of paragraph 3 of this regulation if the ship is built to be engaged solely in the carriage of cargoes and cargo handling operations not causing corrosion. Such exemption and conditions for which it is granted shall be recorded on an exemption certificate.

JWG-COTCPS

• DE 51– Draft Performance standard approved.

• Industry asked to further develop the test standard taking into account the comments received.

• Meeting 28th & 29th October in Busan to finalise the test standard and submission to DE52

AREA TO BE COATED

* 3 ltrs crude oil / m3 of chamber: pro rataSurface area must be > 250 cm2 / litre crude oil

Condensation Test

•Phases •Seawater: Crude oil: Vapour - in ratio of 2:10:3

Immersion test based on ISO 2812-1 to simulate a crude oil tank in loaded condition

Immersion Test

Testing Standard Issues• not to include any artificial acidification in the test procedures

for coating qualification, Appendix 2: Crude Oil Immersion Test; (IPPIC)

• Test standard requires test methods simulating the actual condition in crude oil tanks by using high hydrogen sulphide, high acidity and high BTX. However, as far as we know, there has as yet been no precedent of carrying out such a test. Of concern is the feasibility as well as the repeatability of the test, because such crude oil would not be the available in many areas of the world. If the test were to become mandatory, a shortage of qualified protective coatings might occur. (Japan)

• The temperature “60 ± 3°C” is required for the immersion test in order to simulate the heating condition in cargo oil tanks of tankers. However, there is crude oil of low viscosity, which does not require to be heated, such as high BTX crude oil. It would be meaningless requiring heating resistant performance to all coating systems regardless of the types of cargo to be carried. The heating condition for the test could be reasonably determined, taking into account whether or not a tank is equipped with a heating system. (Japan)

Testing Standard Issues

JWG / Coatings

• DE51– Industry guide for application submitted to DE51

who noted that it contained useful guidance.– No further work by JWG means that other

organisations have filled the vacuum and developed there own guidelines. Such as KOSHIPA, JSTRA.