Long-Term Marine Maintenance Made Simple

Conditions whilst floating around on the water are conducive to two main issues – corrosion and erosion. Fixing problems that arise from these issues normally means a temporary repair until getting back to port. Especially considering the limitations associated with applications at sea, with ease of use being a fundamental concern for any prospective repair method.

Access to specialist equipment is limited or, more often than not, non-existent. So, all materials and methods have to be adaptable based upon the application conditions – this could be the adverse weather or the presence of oil and wet substrates. Either way, the tools need to match the requirements.

Belzona’s solutions for at sea maintenance, are crucially easy-to-use, fast-curing and surface-tolerant. Overall, helping to facilitate a fast return to service.

Shaft Rebuilt Using Forming Technique

Problem:

Common applications include repairing and rebuilding mechanical equipment using forming techniques. Repairing worn shafts can be very tricky at sea, as it normally requires the disassembly of equipment and removal of the shaft for workshop repair, usually by welding and machining back to tolerance.

The shaft in this instance was worn and placed increased pressure on the bearing – shortening the service life.

Key Facts:

Belzona’s paste-grade materials are 100% solids, and do not change shape during curing. Therefore they can be used to rebuild components to fine tolerances by using pre-made formers. This allows for quick and easy application and can be done in situ, without the need for disassembling equipment.

In this instance, Belzona 1111 was chosen in line with the forming technique, providing precise restoration of the shaft diameter.

Rapid Repair Allows Oil Tanker to Sail

Application Details:

Oil tanker, Italy (2017)

Problem:

Leaking pipework presents unique challenges in an at sea environment. Due to restricted space and limited availability of equipment, it is often not possible to carry out thorough surface preparation. Coupled with the often wet and oily conditions, carrying out repairs can be quite difficult.

In this case, the leaking pipeline was part of the cooling system, hence the ship was unable to operate at full capacity until the leak was fixed. On closer inspection, there were multiple areas of low metal thickness.

Belzona Facts:

By utilising Belzona’s fast-curing repair materials, the leak was arrested in less than 1 hour, as a temporary measure. The repair was then overwrapped with Belzona’s surface tolerant materials – creating a strong and long lasting repair with minimal surface preparation, directly onto a water contaminated surface.

The presence of oily, moisture-contaminated and submerged substrates are common-place at sea. Which makes achieving the desired level of surface preparation particularly difficult. Therefore, having access to surface-tolerant materials can make at-sea repairs, such as leak sealing, that much simpler!

One of the most versatile materials available is Belzona 1212 – watch the video below to see what makes it an essential part of any marine maintenance kit.

Moving off the ocean let’s enter the dry dock phase of marine maintenance!

During these planned maintenance periods, all manner of repair and protection can be carried out – from small applications, such as bonding fenders, to large scale projects on propulsion and steering equipment.

Yet, the high costs associated with being in dry dock mean that there are strict schedules to adhere to, made even more important when also trying to gain approval from classification surveyors. Belzona’s solutions can be applied quickly and easily, regardless of the size, helping to meet these requirements in a timely manner.

Protective Coatings

Application Details:

Ferry Operator, Italy (2006)

Problem:

The impeller duct lining had been significantly deteriorated due to erosion at high flow rates.

Belzona Facts:

To dismantle the assembly, replace the urethane lining and reassemble would have been both costly and time consuming. Repairing the urethane lining with Belzona 2311 avoided the need for dismantling of the equipment, and delivered the repair at a fraction of the cost of the alternative. Meanwhile ensuring long-lasting erosion and cavitation protection.

Considering all factors, including downtime and labour, it was estimated that there were savings of more than €150,000.

Versatility is the key characteristic of this marine maintenance essential. Typically used as a coating for the protection of equipment operating under immersion in aqueous solutions, Belzona 5811 eliminates corrosion, as well as providing outstanding chemical resistance. This makes it an ideal solution for coating areas that are frequently awash with sea water – such as decks.

However, it can also serve the purpose of being injected! The fluid properties of this system mean it can be used to fill voids, providing 100% contact between two substrates – acting as a high-strength structural adhesive for metal bonding. See this injection method in action below..