Page 34: of Marine News Magazine (May 2026)

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Shipbuilding

U.S. Commercial Fleet goal and also train an experienced workforce, is measured in existing design to establish the carriage of cargo beyond decades no matter how much money you throw at it. petroleum products and into chemicals while increasing

Listen to the domestic ATB owners, the inland barge the performance of the tug & barge with new technology. operators and existing tanker owners. They are investigat- The project introduced Advanced Polymers Coatings ing life extension of current operating tonnage to continue Marine Line 784 chosen for application in the barge cargo serving the markets. They are correct and it reminds us of tanks. A superior, high-performance polymer cargo tank the New York Subway alert: WATCH THE GAP. coating, heat cured to a tightly knit, virtually impermeable

The answer to immediately developing a work force and structure, to provide superior cargo protection for chemical, rebuild U.S. Ship Construction starts at the repair yards as product, parcel and barge tankers. The lining provides the it has at every foreign yard we have recently invited into highest chemical resistance of all coatings and has been re- our backyard. Our energy and chemicals move by ATB and ferred to as ‘liquid stainless steel’. It has a superior resistance there are no government programs that support that effort. to acids, alkalis and solvents with a maximum versatility to carry CPPs, PFADs, Bio Fuels and Methanol. The coating

Recent Projects has been applied worldwide in over 600 vessels. Amtech has

Amtech recently delivered the ATB Battery Park & been trained in coating application and inspection.

MAM 141 from Gulf Marine Repair in Tampa, Florida. What was more important to the coating decision is the

A major conversion and life extension project comparing fact it is the ? rst application of the Marine Line 784 product a conversion cost of a new 155,000 BBL Chemical barge in the United States. The detailed requirements of the cargo and a 6,000 hp tug to rebuilding and converting existing tank preparation and coating application were completed tonnage of the same size and capability. Owners purchased by Anchor Sandblasting and Painting. The investment in two assets, 18 years of age with coastwise privileges. Both the coating and our con? dence in Anchor Sandblasting and units purchased while in layup, not operational and in a Painting was one of the lead decisions in the project. condition requiring major repairs. The project was not The decision also exposes our global technology posi- only positioned to repair and recover expired Class and tion as the 600 vessels have been completed in foreign lo-

Flag certi? cates, it was developed to convert the ATB to cations. Amtech applying one of the ? rst polymer coatings trade in new chemical markets and establish a 15-year life in 2016 in South Korea and now this project being the extension to support the investment and business model. ? rst completed in the United States. Add the fact that Ad-

New materials, tank coatings, navigational AI, equipment vanced Polymer Coatings is a U.S. born and bred company and machinery were introduced and integrated into the and you may understand the maritime problem is not our 34 | MN May 2026