Nippon Paint Marine said its new coating Neoguard Toughness has gained a foothold in the market
Nippon Paint Marine marketing general manager Makoto Nakagawa said the coating was developed following demand from shipowners for a more impact-resistant epoxy coating system for holds and hatch coatings adding “but we didn’t expect to have quite as many applications so soon after market launch.”
The thickness of the solid epoxy coating is suited to protecting steel structures from abrasion and impact damage from iron ore, coal and other bulk cargoes, while providing long-term protection against corrosion. Nippon said the product satisfied US FDA’s requirement for compatibility with grain and feed.
Mr Nakagawa said “Mechanical damage to cargo holds from abrasive cargoes and high impact loading procedures is the primary reason traditional coatings fail, which if goes unchecked can lead to corrosion and structural failure.”
The company said the paint coating is resistant to cracking from impacts of up to 4 joules and the hardened paint is applied to achieve a dry film thickness of 250 µm. No special equipment or machinery is required for application and the coating is applied using a conventional air spray, with a full cure dry taking five days at 30°C.
A representative of Iskenderun Shipping, general co-ordinator Ahmet Hamza, which in November 2019 applied the coating to the holds of the 32,676-dwt Iskenderun M, said “So far so good. We have found Neoguard Toughness offers significant cost savings by reducing the maintenance and repair requirement. The coating’s easy cleaning properties have also allowed for quick and efficient turnaround times between cargoes.”
Neoguard Toughness was launched in August 2019 and has been applied to the holds of 37 bulk carriers operated by owners including Eastern Pacific Shipping, Synergy Group, Far East Lines, Iskenderun Shipping, and Wisdom Marine.
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