Ecospeed Explains Practical Advantages of its Coatings

Ecospeed application offers many benefits for shipyards and shipowners

In what follows Ecospeed takes a closer look at how applying Ecospeed to a vessel can save much worry, time and hassle for superintendents and shipyards during drydockings, as well as save expenses for the owner.

Despite some supplier claims to the contrary, almost no underwater hull coating provides for the most basic objective which is to protect the steel from corrosion and prevent the hull from ‘roughening’ with age. When ships come into drydock, it is not uncommon to observe delamination of multiple paint layers. There is often also evidence of corrosion and hull roughening.

Repairs of the underwater hull coating systems greater than 50 percent of the underwater area, and up to and including complete replacement of the hull coating, are not uncommon. This results in significant cost to the shipowners, both in terms of materials and labor, and in fuel costs due to the roughened conditions of the hulls and ultimately also in frequent required drydocking-time. So it’s easy to see that the total ownership cost (TOC) of a vessel would drop for a ship operating with a hull that is effectively protected.
 
Ecospeed is an extremely hard coating with optimized hydrodynamics that can easily be maintained in service. This has a huge potential for reducing total cost of ownership of the vessel. When ships come out of the water after lengthy periods, there is no delamination of the coating from the hull, there are no paint blisters that would be indicative of anti-corrosive failure, and the overall hull is still smooth. There are also the environmentally friendly aspects of the product. Studies done in the EU, by the Netherlands in particular, have determined that in-water cleaning of Ecospeed produces no materials that are toxic to the marine environment.
 
High quality application– the secret of long term durability
The reason for the pristine condition of the Ecospeed coating after several service years is very simple according to Mr. Gunnar Ackx, managing director of SCICON Worldwide, an independent coating inspection and consulting company. SCICON provides clients with various inspection and consulting services in the field of corrosion protection of steel, concrete, and other surfaces in just about any industry. 
 
As a coating inspector and consultant, Gunnar Ackx has had the opportunity to inspect and assist the very first Ecospeed application, almost ten years ago.  “When I first saw the ship come out of the water prior to the Ecospeed application and noticed how banged up the hull was, my first reaction was: ‘This is never going to work.’  But that job certainly did prove me wrong. I have been amazed at Ecospeed’s performance ever since.”