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54 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • FEBRUARY 2014 NEW PRODUCTS: PROTECTIVE COATINGS Hempel launched Hempaguard which it said offers outstanding resistance to fouling during idle periods and sig- nifi cant fuel savings. The technology, dubbed ActiGuard, has been fi ve years in development and is based on silicone- hydrogel and biocide science. HEMPA- GUARD available as two separate prod- ucts: Hempaguard X5 and Hempaguard X7. Hempel’s tests reportedly show ex- cellent fouling resistance of up to 120 days during idle periods plus fuel savings of 6% on average with HEMPAGUARD. Hempel offers a performance satis- faction guarantee contract for vessels complying with a full Hempaguard X7 specifi cation. Group Product Manager Torben Rasmussen explained, “If you are not satisfi ed for any reason using Hempel’s top tier product Hempaguard X7, Hempel will pay, under the perfor- mance satisfaction guarantee contract, for the conversion of Hempaguard back to conventional antifouling and with no questions asked.” Hempel spent fi ve years developing and testing Hempel’s patented ActiGuard technology. ActiGuard integrates sili- cone-hydrogel and full diffusion control of biocides in a single coating. Surface retention of the biocide activates the hy- drogel, which effectively holds fouling organisms at bay, cutting friction to a min- imum while utilizing a minimum amount of biocide. It also has the long-term stabil- ity and mechanical properties required of a durable solution, Hempel said. Hempaguard demonstrates fl exibility in that it can cover most combinations of sailing routes and trading patterns. www.hempel.com Hempel Debuts Hempaguard Subsea Industries announced a new product for fi lling and building up a cor- roded and pitted steel surface to its origi- nal form prior to recoating with Ecoshield. According to the manufacturer, Ecofi x is as tough as the steel itself, machinable and can be used to repair most pitting or corrosion damage on rudders, stabilizer fi ns, thrusters and other underwater gear. Ecofi x is used in combination with Ecoshield, the ultimate rudder protection coating. When a rudder or other piece of underwater ship gear has not been proper- ly protected, the surface will become cor- roded. Cavitation damage can cause se- vere pitting. The steel needs to be restored to its original shape with a smooth surface prior to recoating. This is where Ecofi x comes in as a tested and proven fi ller. Because it uses the same basic resin as Ecoshield, the coating can be applied just one hour after the fi ller. The bonding and hardness are extraordinary. This is the ef- fective alternative to metal facing or very expensive alternative fi llers. And because it is part of the Ecospeed/Ecoshield fam- ily, it is fully compatible with the coating. Subsea Industries claims Ecoshield gives permanent protection against cavi- tation damage for rudders. The glass- fl ake reinforced coating protects the rud- der for the service life of the ship without need for recoating or major repair and comes with a 10-year guarantee. It is the only coating known to fully protect a rudder from all cavitation damage for the remainder of a vessel’s service life. Now with the launch of Ecofi x, the re- pair work needed on the underlying steel can be done effectively and economi- cally prior to the Ecoshield application. Ecoshield and Ecofi x are also suitable for stabilizer fi ns, thrusters, nozzles and other underwater ship gear which needs special protection from corrosion. Now these items can also be repaired prior to recoating where other, less effective coatings have permitted corrosion and cavitation damage to occur. With the launch of the new product, Subsea Industries offers a full package; Ecofi x restores the surface of the rudder or other underwater gear and Ecoshield will protect the area from ever suffering corrosion and cavitation damage again. ecospeed.be PPG Launches Sigma Nexeon710 The Sigma Nexeon range is designed to provide a complete copper-free antifoul- ing solution. Sigma Nexeon710 is the antifouling solution for operational vessels and can be applied during construction and dry dockings. For newbuildings where outfi tting takes longer than six months, a high activity copper-free topcoat anti- fouling, Sigmma Nexeon 750 is specifi ed. Both products combine unique self-polishing zinc-acrylate binder technology with high performance to help protect ships during the new-building process and while in service. A key benefi t of Sigma Nexeon copper-free antifouling according to the manufac- turer is its property of ‘smoothness from start.’ Thanks to the absence of copper, the leveling and smoothness right after application is signifi cantly improved, de- livering better fuel effi ciency from the start. Third party testing with universities and test institutes in Korea and Japan has confi rmed the properties and perfor- mance of the Sigma Nexeon antifouling, the manufacturer claims. From these studies, PPG has classifi ed Sigma Nexeon as a ‘low friction antifouling.’ Another benefi t: excellent cosmetic appearance, thanks to the absence of copper, there is no so called ‘whitening’ effect. Sijmen Visser adds; “For prolonged outfi t- ting periods, common for newbuilding FPSOs, drill ships and offshore structures and also for shorter outfi tting periods of general commercial ships, there is an increasing demand for vessels to look good at delivery both above and below the water line. Sigma Nexeon 710 and 750 are ideal as initial and fi nishing coats to keep vessel hulls clean under water whilst providing a brand new cosmetic fi nish above the water line.” www.ppg.com Ecofi x Corrosion Repair with Ecoshield Application Photo: PPG Torben Rasmussen, Hempel Product Manager MR #2 (50-58).indd 54 2/4/2014 4:19:09 PM
