PPG Debuts New Epoxy Anticorrosive/Tiecoat

PPG Protective and Marine Coatings (PPG) has announced the launch of SIGMACOVER 580, a new innovation in epoxy anticorrosive/tiecoat that has been proven to deliver considerable savings and improved productivity at dry dockings.

SIGMACOVER 580 has been carefully engineered to provide ease of use and economical application characteristics, the manufacturer said. It possesses a practical overcoating window and, with its ability to be applied at temperatures down to 5°C (41°F), offers year round application potential.

Sijmen Visser, Global Marketing Manager Marine said, “SIGMACOVER 580 provides an outstanding spot-repair solution for the dry dock market, due to its unique functionality. It is an epoxy coating for underwater hulls that functions both as an anticorrosive and also as an antifouling tiecoat. This dual-use formulation means that it can be overcoated directly with a range of antifoulings and is suitable for use during routine maintenance and repair dry dockings. Ultimately, this provides significant budget savings for the shipowner and can dramatically reduce time in dry dock. For areas that need spot blast of 40 percent or less, it gives customers excellent value, superb performance, and an outstanding return on investment.”

Visser continued, “We know that shipowners are under pressure from a number of factors and one source of expenditure for any shipowner after delivery of a vessel is the cost of dry dockings. Although the costs of paint are relatively minor, the total of surface pre-treatment, application costs, time in the dry dock and being off-hire adds up significantly. Therefore, we have worked with our product specialists to come up with a product that can reduce dry dock time and ensure a fast-turnaround in order to reduce some of the above factors.”

Once a vessel is in dry dock, SIGMACOVER 580 can be applied to pre-blasted areas for spot repair in a single coat at a dry-film thickness (DFT) of 250 microns (9.9 mils). Once this layer is dry, the antifouling paint can then be applied directly over it. By simplifying the underwater hull specification and eliminating the need for a second anticorrosive or tiecoat layer, application time is reduced and productivity is increased – resulting in cost savings of up to 50%.

Visser concluded, “During a standard dry docking, the use of SIGMACOVER 580 not only saves the application cost of a second anticorrosive coat, but also reduces dry dock costs and off-hire costs. Additional savings are made on paint consumption as there is less overlapping, less overspray and less wastage. Ultimately, the efficiency that the product provides enables the ship owner to put the vessel back into service quickly, thereby maximizing its revenue-earning capacity. What’s more, our PPG sales representatives can calculate the numbers for the individual cases on request.”

sigmacoatings.com/marine