Marine and Offshore Coatings

Coatings for marine and offshore applications must achieve a delicate balance� they must be tough enough to withstand the harshest conditions, yet use materials that conform to the latest environmental regulations. It is an especially arduous task to develop coatings to meet the particular needs of the offshore coatings market. Coating massive steel structures that will be constantly exposed to the elements is no easy task and a variety of factors�water temperature, local environmental regulations and substrate condition�must be calculated in order for the coating to perform effectively.

"Many considerations must be made when selecting heavy duty marine coatings, such as suitability for use as recommended by the manufacturer, whether the product is VOC compliant for the geographical area of applications, does it pose problems for the applicator, proven performance (track record) of the product and of course, economics," said Tom Brown, director of marine marketing, Ameron International. "Many heavy duty marine products have value added features that make price a secondary concern, such as the ability to cure properly during ambient temperatures