Grain Cargo Tank Refurbishment

Shipmanagement company, Norbulk Shipping, required their vessel ‘Amanda C’ to have its ballast tanks and cargo tanks repaired. Dry blasting and solvent-based coatings were not permitted. Chemco were able to provide a solvent-free and wet tolerant solution with life-expectancy of 10 years plus.

The vessel ‘Amanda C’ was docked in Riga for extensive steel repairs to upper wing ballast/cargo tanks entailing some 11,000m² in 10 tanks. The vessel was stemmed by the charter to load cargo in Italy 45 days after leaving Riga. To prepare the tanks in the normal fashion of dry-blasting and application of the conventional paint in the given time was not possible. All other companies declined the contract due to time restraints.

The owners decided to utilise Epo-chem™ RA 500M solvent-free, wet tolerant glassflake epoxy system.

Following tank cleaning, one coat of FDA approved Epo-chem™ RA 500M was applied @ 250µ DFT to the 11,000m² on the journey from Riga to Italy. The work program was completed in 38 days and the grain cargo was loaded in good time to meet with the time schedule. Due to the flexibility, lower preparation standard and fast drying/curing of the system, the repair work became a very cost effective exercise with not only the vessel meeting its obligation, but achieving long-term corrosion protection of 10 years plus.

• Solvent-free
• More work content completed due to Chemco 500 series technology
• Reduced H&S and Fire Precaution
• Reduced cost of plant and equipment
• Application is carried out in high humidity and on wet substrate
• Chemco system will protect the steel substrate in excess of 10 years