BELZONA AND SAUDI ARABIA DISTRIBUTOR COMPLETE BELZONA 1341 MARINE INDUSTRY APPLICATION
Hatcon Industrial Services, the exclusive Belzona distributor in Saudi Arabia/Bahrain for over 40 years was supported by Technical Engineers from Belzona on a Belzona 1341 spin spray application for the internal coating of four stern tubes on a Navy patrol ship.
Following a request by the client for a corporate inspector to be present throughout the duration of the project, Hatcon requested the support of Yusuke Nishi, Senior Technical Services Engineer at Belzona to oversee the spin spray application. Belzona 1341 was specified by the client based on their historical use of the product and its proven in-service performance capabilities and approval for stern tube protection within their organisation.
Designed to improve the efficiency of fluid handling systems and protect metals from the effects of erosion and corrosion, Belzona 1341 (Supermetalglide) is proven to reduce friction loss and provide excellent chemical resistance.
The Belzona and Hatcon application team arrived at the shipyard in Manama Port and carried out a pre-surface preparation inspection of the stern tubes. Following the inspection, the shipyard contractor grit blasted each tube to SSPC SP-10 with a 75-100 microns angular profile together with procedures to ensure the prepared surface was chloride-free prior to the application.
Bresle Patch and Testex Tape tests were carried out on the tubes to confirm that the substrate was clean and suitable for the spin spray to commence. Belzona 9111 (Cleaner/Degreaser) was then used to clean the stern tubes as the final step in surface preparation.
After all inspections and tests were completed a Plural-Component Sprayer and other ancillary equipment were mobilized and the spin spray application began. The four tubes were internally lined with Belzona 1341 applied in a 3-coat system in accordance with the client’s specification.
Stern tubes are hollow tubes that run through the bottom of a ship from the main engine to the propellers. The actual propeller shaft which transfers power from the ships main engine runs inside the bearings positioned in the stern tubes and connects to the propeller.
In order to accurately apply the Belzona 1341 to the required thickness, computer-generated calculations were fed into the application equipment to control product temperature, flow rate and spin spray feed rate. The coating application for all four stern tubes was completed in three days. To conclude the project a full post-application inspection (DFT measurement and high voltage holiday testing) was conducted in the presence of an official Navy representative.
Rob Dawson, Hatcon Regional Manager commented on the application:
“This project was a great example of how Belzona Solutions can be efficiently provided on a Global scale, the ship owner’s initial enquiries with the local Belzona distributor in the US were routed through the Belzona corporate office to the local Belzona distributor at the ship’s location in the Middle East.
This allowed a smooth and timely refurbishment project to be completed with all parties fully involved; ship owner, Belzona corporate, local shipyard and local Belzona distributor.”
An exclusive Belzona distributor since 1981, Hatcon Industrial Services specialises in the provision of industrial equipment, materials, and services in the field of surface preparation and coatings. Hatcon has established itself as the leading provider of expertise, products and services in both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and represents some of the world’s most renowned international companies.
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