Hull cleaning

[John Arton]

Dry docking or the use of in water scrubbers are the conventional method of removing marine growth from ships hulls.
Now Norwegian paint company Jotun have developed a robot to do the work.
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/msc-...om-biofouling/

[Ivan Cloherty]

John I read in one of my journals that Hempels have developed an underwater paint that will last 20 years and is also self polishing, naturally they are very expensive, but DNV have said that if used they could obviate the need for annual drydocking, so would probably pay for themselves in a couple of annual survey docking costs. Different to us oldies days when we used to paint the decks with waste sludge oil and overside with black bitumastic.

[Tony Taylor]

John I read in one of my journals that Hempels have developed an underwater paint that will last 20 years and is also self polishing, naturally they are very expensive, but DNV have said that if used they could obviate the need for annual drydocking, so would probably pay for themselves in a couple of annual survey docking costs. Different to us oldies days when we used to paint the decks with waste sludge oil and overside with black bitumastic.

nice one Ivan, since creosote was banned I make my own wood preserver from old engine oil and white spirit, works a treat (providing you like dark colour).

[happy daze john in oz]

Ivan, I think it was about ten years ago that Maersk announced a paint they had on the hull of their ships.
Claimed it would save a fortune on fuel as it allowed the ship better movement through the seas.
It was also claimed that it would greatly reduce the need for dry docking to clean the hull.

Maybe the same one,

[Ivan Cloherty]

That would be about right John timewise when self-polishing underwater paints were introduced but didn't have Classification approval to eliminate drydocking but could use it to delay docking for another year. As far as I can ascertain these paints now have Classification approval, but have to be inspected by Classification surveyors during their application and prior dock flooding. Wonder how the dry-dock operators view them!

I know in the 70's we experimented with two pack epoxy paints (only made in white at that time) the preparation of steel costs and essential good weather for application outweighed any benefit in time saving and crews overtime using conventional paints. The paints were made by ICI

[Ken Trehearne]

The marketing video shows the new gizmo as extremely advantageous and labour/docking saving. Trouble is that a salesman never tells of the disadvantages of his product. On first sight though it has to be of interest to owners though is unlikely to be low-cost to buy and there will be the on-going cost of operating by broadcast to Norway from wherever. Give it 10/10 at this viewing.
Ken T
R412277