Nippon Paint Marine’s new coating gaining on popularity among dry bulk owners

Nippon Paint Marine’s new coating Neoguard Toughness is becoming popular among dry bulk owners, with almost 40 applications.

The company said that its coating has been applied to the holds of 37 bulk carriers operated by owners that include Eastern Pacific Shipping, Synergy Group, Far East Lines, Iskenderun Shipping, and Wisdom Marine.

“We developed Neoguard Toughness following demand from shipowners for a more impact-resistant epoxy coating system for holds and hatch coamings, but we didn’t expect to have quite as many applications so soon after market launch,” said Nippon Paint Marine Marketing General Manager Makoto Nakagawa.

“Neoguard Toughness is undoubtedly one of the hardest, toughest coatings we have produced for the commercial marine market.”

As explained, the thickness of the highly solid epoxy coating is particularly suited to protecting steel structures from abrasion and impact damage from iron ore, coal, and other bulk cargoes, while providing protection against corrosion.

“Mechanical damage to cargo holds from abrasive cargoes and high impact loading procedures is the primary reason traditional coatings fail, which if goes unchecked can lead to corrosion and structural failure. Neoguard Toughness reduces this risk,” said Nakagawa.

The paint is resistant to cracking from impacts of up to 4 joules, and it is applied to achieve a dry film thickness of 250µm. No special equipment or machinery is required for application; the coating is applied using a conventional air spray, with a full cure dry taking 5 days at 30°C.

“So far so good. We have found Neoguard Toughness offers significant cost savings by reducing the maintenance and repair requirement,” Commenting on the coating’s performance,” said Ahmet Hamza, General Coordinator at Iskenderun Shipping, which in November applied the coating to the holds of the 32,676dwt Iskenderun M.

“The coating’s easy cleaning properties have also allowed for quick and efficient turnaround times between cargoes.”