Class approved underwater hull repairs in Europe and Africa

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1 Number 185 Class approved underwater hull repairs in Europe and Africa Alternative ship hull coating system High quality in-water ship repair and maintenance services Hydrex active with jobs around the world Hydrex White Paper No. 9

2 Supreme Rudder Protection Ecospeed gives a very thorough and lasting defense against cavitation and corrosion damage for a ship hull s entire service life. The coating equally provides the rudder with an impenetrable protective layer while its flexibility enables absorption of the forces that are produced by cavitation. This prevents the damage normally caused by this phenomenon. Without proper protection against cavitation and the resulting erosion and corrosion damage, the financial consequences can be severe. By removing the existing paint layers and applying Ecospeed on the rudder we can break the never ending cycle. of painting, suffering damage, having to perform extensive repairs in drydock followed by a full repainting, again and again. With an Ecospeed application no full repaint will be needed during drydocking. Ecospeed is guaranteed for ten years. At the most, minor touch-ups will be required. Belgian headquarters Belgian headquarters Phone: Phone: Fax: Fax: info@ecospeed.be info@ecospeed.be US Office US Office Phone: Phone: Fax: Fax: info@ecospeed.us info@ecospeed.us

3 Table of contents Class approved underwater hull repairs in Europe and Africa 5-11 Alternative ship hull coating system High quality in-water ship repair and maintenance services Hydrex active with jobs around the world Hydrex White Paper No

4 Message from Hydrex founder Boud Van Rompay fouling control requires the fewest economic and environmental compromises. The fact that the cost of in-water cleaning of ship hulls is dwarfed by the resulting fuel savings alone is only one of the many benefits described in the article. The first feature article in this magazine focuses on underwater hull repairs. In it we give an overview of the most important benefits that these kind of repairs can offer shipowners. The article also illustrates these benefits with some examples of hull repairs recently carried out by Hydrex diver/technicians. Because these repairs can be carried out above or below water with tailormade mobdocks, normal commercial activities can continue without disruption while the repairs are in progress. Hull repairs are approved by the major classification societies and can save owners a great deal of trouble and money by keeping their vessels out of drydock. The second article was written for Ship & Offshore magazine and was originally published in their January/ February 2012 issue. It describes why a combination of hull protection and KEEPING SHIPS IN BUSINESS In our monthly Active with jobs around the world section we give you an update of a few of the on-site jobs that were carried out by Hydrex across the globe and that were not covered in the first article. These operations include both jobs performed by our Hydrex diver/technician teams and Ecospeed applications. The magazine ends with an abstract of Hydrex White Paper No. 9. This White Paper is called Hull Coating Degradation the Hidden Cost and goes deeper into the subject of fuel penalties and how to avoid them. Like all our White Papers and our quarterly Journal of Ship Hull Performance, it will be available free of charge in its entirety at as soon as it is published. We hope that this magazine will encourage you to call us if you have a problem or need maintenance work carried out or if you want to move your ship or fleet to an environmentally safe, highly fuel-efficient hull coating system. We can offer fast turnkey solutions that can keep your vessel out of drydock. Best regards, Hydrex founder Boud Van Rompay Class approved underwater hull repairs in Europe and Africa ISO 9001 certified To receive a free copy, fax to: Hydrex N.V or to hydrex@hydrex.be 4

5 Class approved underwater hull repairs in Europe and Africa Flying all across the world Hydrex diver/technician teams have carried out numerous underwater insert and doubler plate repairs over the last couple of months. Besides the larger repairs discussed in our previous magazines (and found on our website) a lot of smaller underwater hull repairs were also carried out. Despite the relative size of these operations they are nonetheless vital for shipowners if they want to avoid unscheduled drydock visits for their vessels. Hydrex on-site hull repair services include the renewal of both small and large areas of damaged hull plating. These repairs can be carried out above or below water with tailor-made mobdocks, according to the circumstances. Normal commercial activities can therefore continue without disruption. These operations follow the Hydrex procedure for welding cracks in the vessel's shell plating and are approved by the major classification societies. Hydrex diver/technician teams carry out these on-site hull repairs all over the world. In most cases the damaged area can be replaced with a permanent insert and no condition of class is imposed. On the rare occasions where the damage does not allow such a repair, a temporary doubler plate is installed over the affected area. This allows the owners to keep to their schedule and have a permanent repair carried out during the next scheduled drydock visit. Building on an ever-expanding worldwide network of offices and support bases, Hydrex can provide these repairs at reasonable costs across the globe. All offices are fully equipped and can mobilize immediately. As part of the Hydrex Group they can take advantage of the company s extensive Hydrex diver/technician teams carry out these on-site hull repairs all over the world. In most cases the damaged area can be replaced with a permanent insert and no condition of class is imposed. knowledge, resources and many years of experience. Below you can read a short summary of some of the underwater hull repairs carried out by Hydrex over the last few months. 5 A cofferdam is used to cover the damaged area underwater. Insert repair in Cameroon In Douala, Cameroon, Hydrex diver/ technicians performed an insert repair on the stern area of a 70-meter accommodation ship. Together with the repair they also carried out a full underwater survey of the vessel and installed new sacrificial anodes on the stern area. Combining several jobs without causing any unnecessary delay is part of the service Hydrex offers. Our divers are trained to perform a wide range of procedures; they stay in close communication with each other and with the technical department in the office, throughout the operation. This allows them to finish the entire job within the shortest possible timeframe and this without

6 Fast and high quality on-site repair services in thewestern Mediterranean area and North Africa The Hydrex office in Algeciras is ready to mobilize immediately with their two dedicated dive support vessels. Both vessels are fully equipped as service stations for a wide range of repair operations and allow for a fast response in the bay of Algeciras, Gibraltar and North African ports. Hydrex diver/technician cutting away the damaged area in the shell plating on a vessel in Cameroon. As part of the Hydrex group, Hydrex Spain takes advantage of the companies 37 years of experience. All operations are carried out by highly certified diver/ technicians all of which have been trained in the headquarters in Antwerp and have extensive experience, enabling the office to offer their customers the high quality Hydrex is known for. Jobs recently carried out by Hydrex Spain include a propeller modification, pipe repairs, rudder repairs and stern tube seal repairs in Algeciras, propeller modifications in Cadiz and an azimuth bow thruster removal and reinstallation on a pipe laying vessel in Cartagena. New insert plate and reinstalled frames on accommodation ship in Cameroon. any compromise of the high quality standards Hydrex is known for. Multiple doubler plates installed on two roro vessels in Belgium certified welders according to the Hydrex class approved procedures. This temporary repair allowed the shipowner to keep his vessel in service and on schedule until the next scheduled drydocking. Hydrex Spain Poligono Industrial Palmones II Calle Dragaminas Nave N Algeciras Spain Phone: (24/7) Fax: info@hydrex.es Close to the Hydrex headquarters a total of six damaged areas on the hull plating of the ballast tank of a 160- meter roro vessel were covered with the same number of doubler plates during the ship s stay in Antwerp, Belgium. The doubler plates ranged in size from 200 x 350 mm to 900 x 370 mm and were installed by Hydrex Also in Antwerp a Hydrex diver/ technician team performed a full underwater inspection and carried out a rudder crack repair as well as the installation of a doubler plate on the shell plating of a 216-meter roro vessel. The team first performed the underwater inspection and ground away the crack on the corner of the 6

7 Hydrex certified welder securing one of the doubler plates in Antwerp. One of the six doubler plates installed on a roro vessel in Antwerp. rudder blade. Next they made arrests on both sides of the 300-mm crack in the shell plating on the starboard side of the vessel and welded up the crack. This was done to prevent it from spreading any further. A doubler plate was then installed over the crack with the approval of the Rina class surveyor who was present during the entire operation. Underwater hull repair on tanker in France The Hydrex cofferdam technique was used to reinforce the weld seams of a leaking doubler plate that had been installed in drydock on a 183-meter tanker. The operation took place in Marseille. An inspection carried out by the Hydrex diver/technician team Doubler plate installed over a crack in the shell plating of a roro vessel in Antwerp. revealed that there was a hole in the weld seam and cavitation damage was present in another area. Grinding out the damaged weld and replacing it was therefore the best solution. The team installed a cofferdam over the waterside of the affected area and then 7

8 Insert repair in Setubal, Portugal Hydrex rewelded the weld seam of a leaking doubler plate in Marseille. A Hydrex diver/technician team installed a 640 x 300 mm insert in the bottom shell plating of a 266-meter bulk carrier during the vessel s stay in Setubal after a 350-mm crack was found in the ship s hull plating. After the team installed a cofferdam over the underwater side of the crack they cut away the affected area. Next they prepared the edges of the hole and installed the new insert with a full penetration weld. This was done under the supervision of the LR surveyor present during the operation. The insert repair was then successfully tested by an ultrasonic testing operator. Two hull repairs for the same owner Ultrasonic testing showed that the repair had been successful. removed the weld seam over a length of 500 mm. Next they re-welded the seam to the approval of the present ABS surveyor, finishing the repair. In the same port five doubler plates were installed to cover the same number of cracks found in the flat bottom area of a 130-meter bulk carrier. To prevent the cracks from spreading further, the Hydrex diver/technician team first drilled crack arrests. Next they fitted the doubler plates and welded them with a full penetration weld. The meet the DNV class requirements, extra brackets were installed on the largest doubler plate (measuring 1400 x 800 mm). The vessel could then sail safely until the next scheduled drydocking where permanent repairs would be carried out. The same owner asked Hydrex to perform a permanent insert repair on another of his vessels, a 113-meter bulk carrier which was also under 500 mm of weld seam was removed and rewelded. The insert repair was done under the supervision of the classification surveyor present during the operation and was then successfully tested by an ultrasonic testing operator. 8

9 CLASS ACCEPTED UNDERWATER STERN TUBE SEAL REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY Hydrex divers drilled crack arrests prior to installing doubler plates on a bulk carrier in Setubal. DNV classification. This operation was carried out in Tarragona, Spain. A 720-mm crack was found on the vertical side of the port side ballast cracks. Because the damage was located in a high stress region, a specially designed cofferdam was installed over the affected area. A 2400 x 400 mm Because the damage was located in a high stress region, a specially designed cofferdam was installed over the affected area. Using our flexible mobdock method to create a dry underwater environment, we have carried out stern tube seal repairs and replacements underwater for some years now in cooperation with top specialist suppliers. tank as well as a 2400-mm crack on the longitudinal frame in the same location. Heavy corrosion damage was also discovered around both plate was then cut away and replaced with a new insert. After the insert had been secured, ultrasonic testing showed the repair to be successful. This technology brings drydock conditions to the ship rather than having to take the ship to drydock, saving a considerable amount of time and money in doing so. This class accepted method is performed by our diving teams under our warranty. It can be used while the ship is carrying out its usual cargo or other commercial operations in port. Visit the special stern tube seal repair section on our website for more information and examples of the many seal repairs we have performed in recent years. The double plates were designed to fit the shape of the hull. 9

10 The owner of these vessels was very satisfied with the operations as they allowed him to keep the schedule of both ships. Underwater insert repair on bulk carrier in Ghent One of the doubler plates seen from the outside on the vessel in Portugal. A 330 x 480 mm insert was installed in the flat bottom plate of a 225-meter bulk carrier during the ship s stay in Ghent, Belgium. Once the area was declared gas free, the diver/technician team positioned and secured a cofferdam over the outboard side of the Cofferdam lowered into the water in Spain. New insert plate and reinstalled frame on bulk carrier in Tarragona. damage. Next they cut away the frames covering the damage and removed a plate the exact size as the new insert. After the insert had been secured with full penetration welding and approved by the present Lloyd s Register surveyor, the team reinstalled the frames. This concluded the operation. Summary Hydrex diver/technician preparing the cofferdam used to cover the damaged area in Tarragona. Repairs of this kind can only be done rapidly and successfully by trained divers/technicians who are familiar with them and who have the relevant know-how to resolve all of the technical difficulties encountered during underwater operations. This is why all Hydrex technical staff from all offices undergo stringent training after which 10

11 Edge preparation prior to installation of insert plate in Ghent. Insert plate secured with screw docks and ready for welding. All Hydrex technical staff undergo stringent training after which they are able to perform a wide range of operations and can achieve the same high quality without loss of time. Insert plate in Ghent with all frames reinstalled. they are able to perform a wide range of operations. They can achieve the same high quality without loss of time. To offer the fastest possible service to customers, Hydrex offices have fast response centers where an extensive range of state-of-the-art tools and diving support equipment is available at all times for the repair teams. These fast response centers enable Hydrex to mobilize diver/technician teams immediately to any location around the world. HYDREX WEST AFRICA IN PORT GENTIL, GABON Hydrex West Africa is situated in Port Gentil, Gabon right next to Cape Lopez Bay. Working closely together with the headquarters in Antwerp the office can benefit from Hydrex long tradition in the ship repair and offshore industry. Port Gentil is a general and bulk cargo port. It is the only port on the Gabon coast with a bunkering service. Thanks to the sheltered environment, the bay is ideally suited for in water work. This combined with its central location on the African West sea coast makes it the ideal place to have repair or maintenance work carried out on a ship, barge or rig in optimal circumstances. Hydrex West Africa can mobilize teams immediately to service vessels and offshore units in Port Gentil or any other suitable location in West Africa. A good example of this is the recent removal, repair and reinstallation of a 40 ton swing-up azimuth thruster of an offshore crane barge that was servicing rigs in an oil field off the coast of Gabon. The entire operation was performed while the unit stayed at anchorage just outside the oil field. Hydrex West Africa Sis TLC/ Cité Shell BP 2160 Port Gentil - Gabon Phone : (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be 11

12 Worldwide network of of 12

13 fices and service stations KEEPING SHIPS IN BUSINESS 13

14 Alternative ship hull coating system The cost of in-water cleaning of ship hulls is dwarfed by the resulting fuel savings. David Phillips from Hydrex Group explains why a combination of hull protection and fouling control requires the fewest economic and environmental compromises. The problem with underwater cleaning of hulls to remove slime (microfouling) and hard fouling lies not in the cleaning itself but in the type of hull coating being cleaned. The problem with underwater cleaning of hulls to remove slime (microfouling) and hard fouling lies not in the cleaning itself but in the type of hull coating being cleaned. The majority of coatings on ship hulls as part of fouling control systems deteriorate as a result of underwater cleaning. Underwater cleaning of biocidal antifouling coatings constitutes a hazard to the environment due to the pulse discharge of biocides produced by the cleaning. In many ports and states, in-water cleaning of hulls bearing biocidal coatings is therefore justifiably prohibited. Some ports and states have gone as far as to prohibit inwater hull cleaning altogether. especially affects propellers and rudders as well as adjacent areas. There are also operational conditions that can be extremely challenging to the protection of the ship s hull, such as Fuel penalties graph. ice and other harsh environments. Fuel efficiency Any deviation from a hydrodynamically smooth hull carries a fuel penalty. This includes roughness due to poor construction or finish, poor choice of paint or substandard paint application, a deteriorated coating and a hull with microfouling (biofilm or Problems with hull coating systems There are three main problems with ship hulls and hull coating systems: Corrosion The hull of a ship must be adequately protected from the effects of the oceans. This is a matter of protecting investment, of remaining operational and of safety. A particular form of corrosion is cavitation damage, which A niche area of a hull coated with biocidal antifouling paint. 14

15 Ecospeed coated hull being cleaned of slime using a Hydrex medium-sized, self-propelling in-water cleaning tool. The hull coating system that is used can play a huge role in the cost of running the ship. At current fuel prices, this can be the make-break point of profit or loss for a ship. water column and the sediment. The harmful effects can persist for years or decades, rendering ports, harbours, marinas and estuaries so contaminated that they cannot be dredged by the usual procedures without the risk of very serious pollution through resuspension of the chemicals. Furthermore, invasive aquatic fauna (and to a lesser degree flora) are carried as ship hull fouling from one environmental zone to another, where they can be destructive. The threat of the spread of aquatic invasive species has escalated to a point where California, for example, is considering legislation to prevent ships from entering state waters if any macrofouling is present. The IMO is also considering this issue in depth and recently instituted volun- slime) or both micro- and macrofouling. The penalty can be anywhere from 1-3% for unfouled paint as applied, to 80% or more for a heavily fouled, badly deteriorated hull coating. This greatly increases a ship s fuel consumption and consequent atmospheric emissions. The hull coating system that is used can therefore play a huge role positive or negative in the cost of running the ship. At current fuel prices, this can be the make-break point of profit or loss for a ship. Environmental concerns Pollution or contamination of oceans and waterways from heavy metals and various chemicals used as biocides in antifouling paints, and from silicone oils and other substances used in foul-release paints, can have disastrous effects on the marine environment, contaminating both the STC after several years of service cleans back to pristine condition. 15

16 tary measures to combat the threat posed by ship hull fouling to ecosystems. This has great economic significance since imported species can destroy local species and upset entire local economies. The fuel penalty incurred from a rough, fouled hull has negative ramifications for the environment as well. The more fuel a ship burns to travel from A to B, the more CO2, NOx, SOx and particulate matter it emits. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from hull coating application can be added to this list. Hazardous waste from the disposal of old paint when a ship is prepared for a new hull coating is also an issue. Almost all traditional ship hull coating systems have been a compromise in which one or more of the above factors have been sacrificed for the sake of others. principle: They attempt to kill the fouling organisms before or after the organisms attach themselves to A solution to the problems surrounding ship hull protection and fouling control must be economically viable so that ships can operate at a profit. And for obvious reasons it must be environmentally sustainable. the hull. The main environmental problem is that these poisons are indiscriminate in what they kill or affect. They tend to remain in the water and sediment, harm non-target organisms, work their way up the food chain and can endanger human health. They are also ineffective in preventing the spread of aquatic inva- sive species that attach to niche areas below the waterline. The chief economic problems with these antifouling paints are that they generally are ineffective against microfouling, cannot be cleaned and need repair and recoating every few years, resulting in a badly deteriorated coating with the accompanying rise in fuel consumption. The second coating, which is gaining market share, is the foul-release, nonbiocidal type. It provides a slick surface that is hard for fouling organisms to adhere to and easy to remove from. These coatings are most suited to The problems surrounding ship hull protection and fouling control centre on two factors: economics and the environment. A solution must be economically viable so that ships can operate at a profit. And for obvious reasons it must be environmentally sustainable. Existing solutions The main coating systems in use today are of two general types: The first and by far most prevalent consists of biocidal antifouling coatings. Copper is the most common biocide in use. Others include zinc and a variety of pesticides and herbicides sold under names such as Diuron and Irgarol. These coatings come in various forms but follow the same basic Same ship (Interscan MV Patriot) after 18 months with a conventional coating (above) and again after 18 months trading in ice with Ecospeed STC (below). 16

17 ON-SITE BOW THRUSTER OPERATIONS The Hydrex lightweight flexible mobdocks are designed to be easily transported around the world and are used to close off the thruster tunnel on both sides, allowing divers to perform repairs and other operations in a dry environment around the bow thruster unit. This technique enables them to reinstall the propeller blades of an overhauled thruster inside the thruster tunnel after the unit has been secured or replace the blades or seals and perform repair work on a specific part without removing the unit. Since the development of this flexible mobdock technique, numerous thruster repairs have been carried out by Hydrex diver/technicians around the world. There is no need to send the vessel to drydock as all operations can be carried out in port or while the vessel is stationary at sea. Normal commercial activities can therefore continue without disruption. Phone: (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be ships that travel fast and frequently and are not laid up for extended periods. They, too, do not prevent a slime layer from building up. They must be cleaned very gently at the microfouling stage and, if allowed to acquire macrofouling, cannot be cleaned without damaging the coating. There is evidence that while they do not contain biocides as such, they are not free from toxicants. More research on their toxic effects is definitely needed. A third, far less prevalent type of coating is hard and inert. It is nonbiocidal, non-toxic and has been mainly used in zones where fouling is much slower to accumulate, such as in arctic regions or very cold waters. Because it is mainly glass, Ecospeed is designed to last the life of the hull without replacement and is not subject to cavitation damage, an STC, if correctly applied, is a hull s best protection against corrosion. While these coatings can be cleaned in the water, many of them, such as epoxies, tend to deteriorate with inwater cleaning and thus cause mounting fuel consumption. Surface-treated coating An alternative type of hard hull coating system seems to require the fewest compromises of all. Known as surface treated coating (STC), it is essentially a whole system for hull protection and fouling control. STC consists of a glass flake vinyl ester resin coating, which provides the best possible hull protection when combined with routine in-water cleaning to remove fouling in its early stages and optimise fuel consumption. Ecospeed, produced by Antwerpbased Hydrex Group, is an example of an STC. The coating is applied once on a properly prepared hull and lasts the lifetime of the ship. Only very minor repairs are needed during routine drydocking. This coating improves hydrodynamically with every in-water cleaning, becoming smoother and thus less likely to foul. It can be cleaned as often as needed without any harmful effects on the environment or coating. It even solves the problem of cavitation damage to rudders. How does an STC such as Ecospeed fare when judged against the points covered above? Corrosion Because it is mainly glass, Ecospeed is designed to last the life of the hull without replacement and is not subject 17

18 to cavitation damage, an STC, if correctly applied, is a hull s best protection against corrosion. The use of the coating reduces or even entirely eliminates the need for impressed current systems. Fuel efficiency In the long run (the life of the ship), an STC can save a shipowner/operator upwards of 25% in fuel costs when compared with a conventional hull coating. The coating does not deteriorate over time as others do. In fact, it becomes smoother and creates less friction with routine cleaning. A proper cleaning routine can keep fouling down to at most a light slime, thus reducing the fuel penalty to near zero. Environmental concerns An STC is completely non-toxic. After in-water cleaning of the hull using [multiple brush tools and] a high pressure jet [for niche areas] a ship can leave any environmental zone entirely free of fouling and thus not COLD STRAIGHTENING OF SEVERELY BENT PROPELLER BLADES translocate invasive aquatic species to other environmental zones. This is the ultimate solution to the problem of the spread of invasive species via hull In the long run (the life of the ship), an STC can save a shipowner/operator upwards of 25% in fuel costs when compared with a conventional hull coating. fouling. Atmospheric pollution will decrease in proportion to lower fuel consumption. An added bonus is that Ecospeed is very low on VOCs and is only applied once, thereby eliminating pollution from repeated applications. Ecospeed is in use by an entire national navy, a leading cruise line, a number of icegoing vessels and icebreakers, and cargo vessels of all types. Recently it was also applied to the hull of the Sea Launch Odyssey rocket-launching vessel. Conclusion In its quest to provide cost effective services to customers, Hydrex developed procedures to address different kinds of damage to propellers. This research led to the design of the Hydrex cold straightening machines first used in By taking advantage of this technique damaged blades can be straightened underwater, allowing the ship to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. Blades can be brought back close to their original form, restoring the propeller s optimum efficiency. The cold straightening machines have been in use for quite some time now but the Hydrex research department has been looking into ways to expand the technique even further to improve our services. A new version of the straightening machine was recently put into practice. It is compatible with the existing models and is used to restore more severely bent propeller blades to their original condition. At a time when answers to the hull coating system problem are being sought, STCs such as Ecospeed present a solution immediately available to shipowners/operators. Applied and maintained correctly, an STC is the hull protection and antifouling system that requires the fewest economic and environmental compromises. More information about STCs and all matters relating to ship hull coatings, antifouling systems and other related subjects is available at This article appeared originally in the January/February 2012 issue of Ship & Offshore magazine ( and is reprinted here with the permission of Ship & Offshore. 18

19 Why not give your rudders adequate protection? The rudder of the Elisabeth Russ before Ecospeed was applied in 2004, showing heavy cavitation damage. Ships have been sailing for up to seven years (and counting) with Ecospeed without having to replace the coating on their rudders or having to opt for important and costly steel repairs. Ecospeed can be applied on a rudder at a very low cost, especially compared with the large drydock costs. It has to be done only once to give a rudder supreme protection against cavitation and corrosion damage for The rudder of the Elisabeth Russ in drydock in No further cavitation damage has occurred in the intervening 7 years. the rest of the vessel s service life. Ecospeed is a really fast and easy way of keeping a rudder s performance at maximum efficiency at all times. Belgian headquarters Phone: Fax: info@ecospeed.be US Office Phone: Fax: info@ecospeed.us 19

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22 Hydrex around the world In the last quarter of 2011 the US coast guard chose Ecospeed as the new coating for the underwater hull of their Coast Guard Cutter Penobscot Bay. The application was carried out in Baltimore, Maryland. By completely stripping off the old paint system to bare steel and replacing it with Ecospeed, the US coast guard can benefit from Ecospeed s many advantages. Ecospeed applied on US Coast Guard Cutter in Baltimore One of these advantages is the ease and flexibility of an Ecospeed application which makes the coating stand out from the very start. Ecospeed requires only two coats of 500 μm each of the exact same paint applied to bare steel, aluminum or glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). No primer, no midcoat, no tiecoat, no topcoat are needed; just two coats forming a homogenous protective coating. This is a major advantage compared with other hull coatings. Whether you are looking at classic antifouling coating systems which easily have five coating layers of different paint to be applied, or The condition of the underwater hull prior to Ecospeed treatment. Ecospeed is applied in only two layers and will protect the vessel for the rest of its service life. when comparing Ecospeed to some of the newer silicone based hull coatings, which also consist of four to five layers of different coatings to be applied, a two-coat homogenous application is always going to be quicker, cheaper and more flexible. An Ecospeed coating schedule can easily be adapted to that of the yard and it does not have to be the other way around. Traditionally a paint application schedule is defined firstly by surface preparation, secondly by the weather conditions, which are very difficult to predict and thirdly by the curing times of the various coatings. In this respect the application of 22

23 Ecospeed is easier to adapt to the application windows that become available. The coating can be applied quite rapidly on a prepared surface and the possible overcoat time ranges from three hours to very extended periods of time, depending on weather conditions and what suits the shipyard. The second (final) coat can be applied immediately or one can wait a few weeks or months to complete the job. Further maintenance of the underwater hull is very easy, whether inwater or dry. This is due to the extremely tough surface which can be cleaned of even the heaviest fouling. In-water maintenance procedures can be repeated wherever and whenever needed during the vessel s lifespan without causing damage or deterioration in the quality of the coating s surface. In fact, each cleaning significantly improves the coating s surface characteristics. The Ecospeed system keeps a ship s underwater hull at optimum performance throughout its service life and helps shipowners save enormous amounts of money by reducing fuel consumption. No full repaint will be needed during upcoming drydockings. ISO 9001 certified 23

24 Ecospeed in excellent condition on rudder after five years at sea Five years after the Ecospeed underwater hull coating had been applied on her rudder, the 195-meter container vessel Marie Delmas came into drydock in Dubai. Shortly afterward the rudders of two other ships owned by the same company, CMA Ships UK Ltd., were also coated with Ecospeed and this in China. The drydocking of Marie Delmas allowed the owners to see the excellent condition of Ecospeed on her rudder. This further vindicated their decision to choose the same treatment for the rudders of Ville d Aquarius, Ville D Orion and five other container vessels in their fleet. The thruster tunnel of Ville d Aquarius was also coated to protect it against the cavitation forces caused by the thruster s propeller blades. Ecospeed is guaranteed for ten years and is expected to remain intact for the lifetime of the vessels. The rudders of all eight vessels will not have to be repainted during future drydockings and extensive repairs will not be needed. Planning the maintenance of the vessel s stern area therefore becomes The rudder of Ville d Aquarius after surface preparation. much easier. The smoothness attained by the coating also provides optimum hydrodynamic conditions for rudders to operate at maximum efficiency. The rudder of the container vessel Marie Delmas after Ecospeed application in and during drydocking in 2012 after five years.

25 KEEPING SHIPS IN BUSINESS Fully equipped for a worldwide fast response 25

26 Propeller blade straightening on two bulk carriers in Rotterdam A190-meter bulker had suffered a bent propeller blade. Hydrex was therefore contacted, and rapidly mobilized a diver/technician team to Rotterdam to perform a detailed underwater inspection and repair of the damage in early January. Later that month a team carried out a similar operation in the same port on a 230-meter vessel. The team found that one of the propeller blade tips of the first vessel was deformed over an angle of 30 and proposed a straightening with the inhouse developed cold straightening machine. The inspection of the second vessel revealed that all four blades were bent over angles ranging from only 3 to 35. Hydrex carried out both operations after the vessels had been trimmed. By taking advantage of the Hydrex cold straightening technique the teams were able to straighten the bent blades on-site. This allowed the ships to return to commercial operations without the need to drydock. Hydrex diver/technicians being prepared for underwater inspection. Propeller blades that may have suffered from an impact will have a performance below average. Should this be the case, then the engine will have a higher work load, resulting in increased fuel consumption and added stress. By bringing the blades back close to their original form Hydrex can restore a propeller s efficiency and balance. The cold straightening machine has been in use for quite some time now but the Hydrex research department is constantly looking into ways to enhance the technique even further to improve our services. A new model of the straightening machine was recently put into service. It is compatible with the existing model and is used to restore more severely bent propeller blades. KEEPING SHIPS IN BUSINESS The Hydrex cold straightening machine is used to restore bent blades close to their original form. After straightening, a propeller s balance and performance are restored. 26

27 Supreme rudder protection given to two ferries and a container vessel Recently the rudders of two ferries and a container vessel were given an Ecospeed coating at shipyards in Shanghai and Jingjiang (China), and Landskrona (Sweden). The decision to use Ecospeed was made by the shipowners after cavitation damage had appeared on the rudders of their vessels. Ecospeed will prevent similar damage from occurring again. The coating gives a very thorough and lasting defense against cavitation and corrosion damage for a ship hull s entire service life. The coating equally provides the rudder (and/or the entire underwater hull) with an impenetrable protective layer while its flexibility enables absorption of the forces that are produced by cavitation. This prevents the damage normally caused by this phenomenon. Without proper protection against cavitation and the resulting erosion and corrosion damage, the financial consequences can be severe. Rudder of Ferry in Landskrona ready to be reinstalled with the first Ecospeed layer already applied. For this reason one of the owners also had Ecospeed applied on the thruster tunnel of his vessel. This area will be protected against the cavitation forces caused by the thruster s propeller blades from now on. The rudder of the ferry that was coated in Landskrona had to be removed to carry out mechanical repairs and this opportunity was taken by the Ecospeed applicators to perform the surface preparation and apply the first of two Ecospeed layers. After the rudder had been reinstalled the second layer was applied. Two of these owners are returning customers for Ecospeed and so they had Ecospeed inspector at work prior to application of the second layer on rudder of ferry in Jingjiang. 27

28 After surface preparation Ecospeed is applied in only two identical layers that will last the rest of a vessel s service life. experienced firsthand the benefits of an Ecospeed coating. By removing the existing paint layers and applying Ecospeed on the rudder we can break the never-ending cycle of painting, suffering damage, having to perform extensive repairs in drydock followed by a full repainting, again and again. With an Ecospeed application no repaint will be needed during drydocking. Ecospeed is guaranteed for ten years. At most, minor touch-ups will be needed. Planning the main- tenance of the vessel s stern area therefore becomes much easier. The smoothness attained by the coating also provides optimum hydrodynamic conditions for rudders to operate at maximum efficiency. Permanent rudder repairs now possible without drydocking Hydrex has developed an entirely new method enabling permanent repairs of rudders without drydocking the ship. Permanent repairs were hitherto not possible and ships had to drydock in case a major defect was found. The newly designed equipment is lightweight and can be mobilized very rapidly in our special flight containers. Therefore this new service is now available worldwide. Major defects on rudders very often cause unscheduled drydocking of ships. The new method designed by our technical department allows engineers, welders and inspectors to perform their tasks in dry conditions. Class approved permanent repairs on-site, without moving the ship, are now possible and commercial operations can continue. Steel repairs and replacements can be performed and pintle and bushing defects can be solved without the loss of time and money associated with drydocking. The equipment can be mobilized within hours to any port in the world and is available for rapid mobilization from the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp. 28

29 Hydrex White Paper No. 9 Hull Coating Degradation the Hidden Cost How to avoid large fuel penalties without repeated drydocking and hull repainting ship scheduled for such sur- preparation [blasting Aface down to bare steel] whatever coating system is being used would normally be years old. The blasting will change the hull condition from rough and possibly fouled, to smooth and clean. We know that this surface preparation can improve fuel consumption by about per cent, depending on prior condition. The statement, made by Bjørn Wallentin, Jotun Coating s global sales director for hull performance solutions, appeared in an article in the June/July 2011 issue of Marine Propulsion. Mr. Wallentin s statement represents general conventional wisdom on the subject in the shipping industry. It is well known and accepted: by the time a ship with a biocidal antifouling or with a fouling release hull coating system reaches 10 years or so since the last time it was fully blasted to bare steel, it will have increased fuel consumption by 25-40% compared to sea trials, even when it is not heavily fouled. There seems to be very little scientific information which quantifies the exact proportion of fuel penalty which can be attributed to hull coating degradation as opposed to biofouling, but the evidence that there is a combined fuel penalty of this magnitude is very clear and well known to informed technical superintendents and others responsible for the fuel efficiency of ships around the world. A 10-year-old ship goes to drydock, the hull is grit blasted, a full new coating system is applied properly (any type) and the fuel consumption suddenly drops dramatically on outdocking. This increase in fuel penalty does not 29

30 occur suddenly. It is a gradual process from when the ship is first launched, through the various drydockings in which the hull coating is patched, touched up, partially repaired and reapplied until, after 10 or 12 years the coating has degraded so much that it has to be entirely blasted off and reapplied completely. Throughout those 10 years, the fuel efficiency has gradually become worse and worse. A great deal of money has been spent unnecessarily to maintain power and speed despite increased hull resistance. In days gone by, a ship s engines were built with 40% surplus power. One reason for this was to compensate for what was thought to be engine degradation as the ship aged. But was it engine degradation or was it simply hull coating degradation? The evidence would indicate that the additional power was needed to maintain initial trial speeds as the hull friction increased over time. This White Paper aims to collect available information on the effects of hull coating degradation, invite reader participation in gathering additional experiential information, and highlight a system which does not undergo degradation over time but in fact becomes hydrodynamically smoother as the ship ages, operating as it does on entirely different principles than the coating systems in general use. The rewards of successful application of such a system include a greatly reduced fuel bill for ship operators and a consequent reduction of CO2, NOx, SOx, black carbon and other environmentally unwanted emissions. Hydrex US: Fully operational in North America Hydrex has an office located in Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area that is ready to mobilize immediately. The office has a fast response center that is equipped with an extensive range of state of the art logistics, trucks, tools and diving support equipment. This enables Hydrex US to efficiently service vessels and offshore units calling on ports in Canada, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. All staff members of the Hydrex office in Clearwater undergo stringent training at the Hydrex headquarters in Antwerp. They can carry out both simple and complex high quality jobs even in the harshest of circumstances. Repairs to thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals, damaged or corroded hulls and all other underwater repair and maintenance services are done while the vessel is onsite. This eliminates the need to drydock. All used methods are fully approved by all major classification societies. KEEPING SHIPS IN BUSINESS Hydrex US 604 Druid Rd, Clearwater, FL Phone: (24/7) Fax: info@hydrex.us 30

31 Hydrex has certified divers at its disposal, ready to perform all types of offshore inspections. Underwater solutions avoid drydocking Fully trained and certified diver/technicians Removal of heavy marine fouling on FPSO and drill vessels Fast response centers with instant mobilizable equipment Turnkey underwater solutions for the offshore industry Phone: (24/7) Fax: hydrex@hydrex.be 31

32 Hydrex offers turnkey underwater repair solutions to shipowners wherever and whenever they are needed. Hydrex s multidisciplinary team will help you find the best solution for any problem encountered with your ship below the water line. We will immediately mobilize our diver/technicians to carry out necessary repair work without the need to drydock. Hydrex has a long track record of Fast underwater repairs keep ships out of drydock performing complex permanent underwater repairs to thrusters, propellers, rudders, stern tube seals and damaged or corroded hulls. By creating drydock-like conditions around the affected area, our diver/technicians can carry out these operations in port or at anchor. All the projects we undertake are engineered and carried out in close cooperation with the customer and any third party suppliers, relieving the customer of all the hassle of coordination, planning and supervision. Headquartered in the Belgian port of Antwerp, we have offices in Tampa (U.S.A), Algeciras (Spain), Mumbai and Visakhapatnam (India), and Port Gentil (Gabon). All Hydrex offices have fully operational fast response centers where an extensive range of state-of-the-art equipment is available at all times. Headquarters Hydrex N.V. - Antwerp Phone: (24/7) hydrex@ hydrex. be Hydrex Spain - Algeciras Phone: + 34 (956) (24/7) info@ hydrex. es Hydrex LLC - Tampa, U.S.A. Phone: (24/7) info@hydrex.us Hydrex West Africa Port Gentil, Gabon Phone: (24/7) westafrica@hydrex.be Hydrex India - Mumbai Phone: (24/7) mumbai@ hydrex. be Hydrex India -Vishakhapatnam Phone: (24/7) vishakhapatnam@hydrex.be