Page 42: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2022)

GREEN TECH FEATURE COATINGS

Self-Indicating Tech: Anti-corrosion

Certainty in an Uncertain World n the months and years before the Certainly, the primary consideration self-indicating technology, if the coating

Covid-19 pandemic, the world was for any conversion project is the anti- appears transparent, then ? lm thickness getting used to the idea of reducing corrosion coatings used on the vessel’s is incorrect. When it is opaque, the spec-

I its reliance on oil with more focus hull, and ballast, fuel and potable water i? ed ? lm thickness has been achieved.

on lique? ed natural gas (LNG). Conse- tanks. But if the correct ? lm thickness is The special pigmentation used in quently, shipyards and shipowners re- not achieved during application the ves- the NOA (Nippon Optimized and Ad- sponded to the shift by building new or sel could be susceptible to corrosion and vanced) range is carefully adjusted to recommissioning existing LNG carriers structural failure. the correct dry ? lm thickness of the sys- and storage vessels. It was for the internal carbon steel tem so applicators and inspectors can

However, reducing dependence on tanks and pipework of offshore vessels see immediately if an area meets the

Russian oil and gas from much of the and installations that Nippon Paint Ma- speci? cation or needs to be corrected.

world market – where it was the second rine’s unique self-indicating NOA60HS Applied in two coats at 160µm per biggest exporter of the product – has coating was certi? ed in 2020 by the coat, NOA 60HS meets all PSPC accep- instigated a greater scramble for alter- Norwegian Technology Standards In- tance criteria, is easy to clean and has native suppliers and a corresponding stitution as meeting the requirements of low emissions of volatile organic com- increase in demand for ships able to the NORSOK M-501 standard. pounds.

transport and store gas from all corners “The NORSOK standards were de- There is also a cost-ef? ciency ele- of the world. veloped in 1994 by Norway’s petroleum ment to a NOA application since correct

Indeed, the decision by Germany to industry to ensure protective coatings thickness of the ? lm has signi? cant im- cancel the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline were suitable in offshore oil and gas en- pact on the amount of time a vessel can from Russia to mainland western Eu- vironments. The addition of NOA60HS remain on station and out of drydock, rope – resulting in an EU-US deal at to the NORSOK M-501 approved prod- particularly important for static vessels.

the end of March for the latter to start uct range marked a signi? cant develop- A number of LNG carriers are cur- supplying billions of cubic metres of ment in the structural safety of offshore rently operating with NOA 60HS in additional LNG capacity – is likely to vessels and installations, such as FSOs, their ballast water tanks, with Nippon exacerbate demand. FSRUs and FPSOs,” says Yamanoue. Paint Marine anticipating a rush of new “We were already seeing increased “As ? oating oil and gas storage fa- orders as demand for gas ships and con- demand for LNGC to FSRU conver- cilities are often built to NORSOK stan- versions heats up.

sions before the recent drastic disrup- dard, we need to offer certi? ed coatings The same can be said of NOA10F and tion in oil and gas markets, but demand products. These assets are designed with NOA10M, which the Japanese coatings is now expected to exceed those initial much longer service intervals than con- company developed to protect the outer expectations,” says Niko Yamanoue, Di- ventional vessels, and an effective and hull areas above and below the water- rector, Nippon Paint Marine (Europe). reliable long-life anti-corrosive coating line. For newbuilding and maintenance “We are seeing increased interest in is crucial to their safe operation. NO- projects respectively, the anti-corrosion countries considering storage and regas A60HS eliminates the risk of anti-cor- paint incorporates the same self-indicat- units to supplement and strengthen ex- rosion coatings applied with low ? lm ing technology as all the coatings in the isting shore-based infrastructure. But ir- thickness, a contributory factor in corro- NOA range.

respective of whether owners build new, sion in? uenced structural failure.” With an eye to the future use of alter- recommission tonnage laid up during Yamanoue furthers that correctly ap- native fuels, Nippon Paint Marine has the offshore downturn or convert exist- plied coatings, especially to tank edges also developed a NOA system to add ing LNG carriers into FSRUs or FSUs, and corners, improves the structural greater protection to fuel tanks. NOA the performance of the protective coat- integrity of internal spaces, providing PC 700, a phenolic/novolac-based ep- ings speci? ed will be key.” greater protection. With NOA’s unique oxy also approved by NORSOK, is re- 42 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • May 2022

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