The PPG protective and marine coatings business will showcase four of its premium marine coatings solutions at next week’s SMM event in Hamburg, Germany.

Among these is SIGMAGLIDE® 1290 fouling release coating, one of PPG’s most recent product innovations. Its 100 percent silicone binder fouling release system uses a breakthrough dynamic surface regeneration technology to eliminate slime problems and dramatically increase fuel savings compared to existing fouling release products, according to Sijmen Visser, PPG global marketing manager, marine.

“One of the well-known drawbacks of fouling release technologies is that their effectiveness reduces over time. This is often seen at the waterline where the impact of sunlight, dirt and UV radiation has a negative effect and leads to the aggregation of slime," Visser said. "PPG SIGMAGLIDE 1290 has been engineered to include dynamic surface regeneration properties. These allow water to act as a catalyst to lower the surface energy of the coating back to its original state and thus restart its beneficial surface configuration properties.”

Visser added that this significantly extends the effectiveness of the coating and, as a result, customers will experience no loss in performance and improved stability of the product throughout its lifetime. The combination of the 100 percent silicon binder fouling release system with the ability of the surface to dynamically regenerate makes the SIGMAGLIDE 1290 coating a breakthrough technology for the marine coatings market, he said.

PPG also will feature the SIGMASHIELD MTC system, which is built on a unique coating technology that comprises a SIGMASHIELD PRIME undercoat and SIGMASHIELD MTC topcoat. Designed specifically for the cargo holds of dry bulk carriers, the system features a unique chemistry that maximizes technical performance and offers a commercially sound solution for spot and full repairs as well as for application at newbuild. Its robust properties make the coating ideal for premium performance in the demanding dry bulk cargo environment.

Also being highlighted, SIGMA SAILADVANCE RX and GX coatings by PPG are based on advanced technologies developed and patented by PPG that generate low friction, linear polishing, improved idle time tolerance and fuel savings. The self-release binder technology is based on Controlled Surface Active Polymers (CSPs) that act on the coating/water interface as a lubricant, which supports laminar flow, thereby lowering the hull friction when the ship is sailing. In addition, these CSPs create a "slippery surface" that will increase the resistance to fouling when the ship is not sailing and, therefore, extend the possible idle days.

“Increasingly competitive market conditions mean that owners want to reduce energy consumption and lower their total costs regardless of how their ships are operating," Visser said. "The PPG SIGMA SAILADVANCE range has been developed specifically to cover a wide range of vessel types and operational conditions and guarantees significant cost reductions. These low-friction, self-lubricating antifoulings deliver reduced fuel consumption and improved tolerance to idle time.”

Suitable for application at newbuild and dry dockings, the products are designed for all vessel types and speeds, Visser added, and they are particularly effective for slow steaming because of the engineered oil binder composition.

Visit PPG at SMM 2016, Sept. 6-9, in Hall B5, Booth 322, and learn more about PPG protective and marine coatings at ppgpmc.com.