Guidelines for the application of the IMO Performance ... · June 2007 GUIDANCE NOTE NI 531 Guidelines for the application of the IMO Performance Standard for Protective Coatings

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June 2007

Guidance NoteNI 531 DT R00 E

Guidelines for the application ofthe IMO Performance Standard for

Protective Coatings

MARINE DIVISION

GENERAL CONDITIONS

ARTICLE 1

1.1. - BUREAU VERITAS is a Society the purpose of whose Marine Division (the “Society”) is the classifica-tion (“Classification”) of any ship or vessel or structure of any type or part of it or system therein collectivelyhereinafter referred to as a “Unit” whether linked to shore, river bed or sea bed or not, whether operated orlocated at sea or in inland waters or partly on land, including submarines, hovercrafts, drilling rigs, offshoreinstallations of any type and of any purpose, their related and ancillary equipment, subsea or not, such aswell head and pipelines, mooring legs and mooring points or otherwise as decided by the Society.

The Society:• prepares and publishes Rules for classification, Guidance Notes and other documents (“Rules”);• issues Certificates, Attestations and Reports following its interventions (“Certificates”);• publishes Registers.

1.2. - The Society also participates in the application of National and International Regulations or Standards,in particular by delegation from different Governments. Those activities are hereafter collectively referred toas “Certification”.

1.3. - The Society can also provide services related to Classification and Certification such as ship and com-pany safety management certification; ship and port security certification, training activities; all activities andduties incidental thereto such as documentation on any supporting means, software, instrumentation, meas-urements, tests and trials on board.

1.4. - The interventions mentioned in 1.1., 1.2. and 1.3. are referred to as “Services”. The party and/or its rep-resentative requesting the services is hereinafter referred to as the “Client”. The Services are prepared andcarried out on the assumption that the Clients are aware of the International Maritime and/or OffshoreIndustry (the “Industry”) practices.

1.5. - The Society is neither and may not be considered as an Underwriter, Broker in ship’s sale or chartering,Expert in Unit’s valuation, Consulting Engineer, Controller, Naval Architect, Manufacturer, Shipbuilder, Repairyard, Charterer or Shipowner who are not relieved of any of their expressed or implied obligations by theinterventions of the Society.

ARTICLE 2

2.1. - Classification is the appraisement given by the Society for its Client, at a certain date, following surveysby its Surveyors along the lines specified in Articles 3 and 4 hereafter on the level of compliance of a Unit toits Rules or part of them. This appraisement is represented by a class entered on the Certificates and peri-odically transcribed in the Society’s Register.

2.2. - Certification is carried out by the Society along the same lines as set out in Articles 3 and 4 hereafterand with reference to the applicable National and International Regulations or Standards.

2.3. - It is incumbent upon the Client to maintain the condition of the Unit after surveys, to present theUnit for surveys and to inform the Society without delay of circumstances which may affect the givenappraisement or cause to modify its scope.

2.4. - The Client is to give to the Society all access and information necessary for the performance of the re-quested Services.

ARTICLE 3

3.1. - The Rules, procedures and instructions of the Society take into account at the date of their preparationthe state of currently available and proven technical knowledge of the Industry. They are not a code of con-struction neither a guide for maintenance or a safety handbook.

Committees consisting of personalities from the Industry contribute to the development of those documents.

3.2. - The Society only is qualified to apply its Rules and to interpret them. Any reference to them hasno effect unless it involves the Society’s intervention.

3.3. - The Services of the Society are carried out by professional Surveyors according to the Code of Ethicsof the Members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

3.4. - The operations of the Society in providing its Services are exclusively conducted by way of ran-dom inspections and do not in any circumstances involve monitoring or exhaustive verification.

ARTICLE 4

4.1. - The Society, acting by reference to its Rules:• reviews the construction arrangements of the Units as shown on the documents presented by the Client;• conducts surveys at the place of their construction;• classes Units and enters their class in its Register;• surveys periodically the Units in service to note that the requirements for the maintenance of class are

met.

The Client is to inform the Society without delay of circumstances which may cause the date or theextent of the surveys to be changed.

ARTICLE 5

5.1. - The Society acts as a provider of services. This cannot be construed as an obligation bearingon the Society to obtain a result or as a warranty.

5.2. - The certificates issued by the Society pursuant to 5.1. here above are a statement on the levelof compliance of the Unit to its Rules or to the documents of reference for the Services provided for.

In particular, the Society does not engage in any work relating to the design, building, production orrepair checks, neither in the operation of the Units or in their trade, neither in any advisory services,and cannot be held liable on those accounts. Its certificates cannot be construed as an implied or ex-press warranty of safety, fitness for the purpose, seaworthiness of the Unit or of its value for sale,insurance or chartering.

5.3. - The Society does not declare the acceptance or commissioning of a Unit, nor of its constructionin conformity with its design, that being the exclusive responsibility of its owner or builder, respec-tively.

5.4. - The Services of the Society cannot create any obligation bearing on the Society or constitute any war-ranty of proper operation, beyond any representation set forth in the Rules, of any Unit, equipment or machin-ery, computer software of any sort or other comparable concepts that has been subject to any survey by theSociety.

ARTICLE 6

6.1. - The Society accepts no responsibility for the use of information related to its Services which was notprovided for the purpose by the Society or with its assistance.

6.2. - If the Services of the Society cause to the Client a damage which is proved to be the direct andreasonably foreseeable consequence of an error or omission of the Society, its liability towards theClient is limited to ten times the amount of fee paid for the Service having caused the damage, pro-vided however that this limit shall be subject to a minimum of eight thousand (8,000) Euro, and to amaximum which is the greater of eight hundred thousand (800,000) Euro and one and a half times theabove mentioned fee.

The Society bears no liability for indirect or consequential loss such as e.g. loss of revenue, loss ofprofit, loss of production, loss relative to other contracts and indemnities for termination of otheragreements.

6.3. - All claims are to be presented to the Society in writing within three months of the date when the Serviceswere supplied or (if later) the date when the events which are relied on of were first known to the Client, andany claim which is not so presented shall be deemed waived and absolutely barred.

ARTICLE 7

7.1. - Requests for Services are to be in writing.

7.2. - Either the Client or the Society can terminate as of right the requested Services after giving theother party thirty days' written notice, for convenience, and without prejudice to the provisions in Ar-ticle 8 hereunder.

7.3. - The class granted to the concerned Units and the previously issued certificates remain valid until thedate of effect of the notice issued according to 7.2. hereabove subject to compliance with 2.3. hereabove andArticle 8 hereunder.

ARTICLE 8

8.1. - The Services of the Society, whether completed or not, involve the payment of fee upon receipt of theinvoice and the reimbursement of the expenses incurred.

8.2. - Overdue amounts are increased as of right by interest in accordance with the applicable legis-lation.

8.3. - The class of a Unit may be suspended in the event of non-payment of fee after a first unfruitfulnotification to pay.

ARTICLE 9

9.1. - The documents and data provided to or prepared by the Society for its Services, and the informationavailable to the Society, are treated as confidential. However:• Clients have access to the data they have provided to the Society and, during the period of classification

of the Unit for them, to the classification file consisting of survey reports and certificates which have beenprepared at any time by the Society for the classification of the Unit ;

• copy of the documents made available for the classification of the Unit and of available survey reports canbe handed over to another Classification Society Member of the International Association of Classifica-tion Societies (IACS) in case of the Unit’s transfer of class;

• the data relative to the evolution of the Register, to the class suspension and to the survey status of theUnits are passed on to IACS according to the association working rules;

• the certificates, documents and information relative to the Units classed with the Society may be reviewedduring IACS audits and are disclosed upon order of the concerned governmental or inter-governmentalauthorities or of a Court having jurisdiction.

The documents and data are subject to a file management plan.

ARTICLE 10

10.1. - Any delay or shortcoming in the performance of its Services by the Society arising from an event notreasonably foreseeable by or beyond the control of the Society shall be deemed not to be a breach of con-tract.

ARTICLE 11

11.1. - In case of diverging opinions during surveys between the Client and the Society’s surveyor, the Societymay designate another of its surveyors at the request of the Client.

11.2. - Disagreements of a technical nature between the Client and the Society can be submitted by the So-ciety to the advice of its Marine Advisory Committee.

ARTICLE 12

12.1. - Disputes over the Services carried out by delegation of Governments are assessed within the frame-work of the applicable agreements with the States, international Conventions and national rules.

12.2. - Disputes arising out of the payment of the Society’s invoices by the Client are submitted to the Courtof Nanterre, France.

12.3. - Other disputes over the present General Conditions or over the Services of the Society are ex-clusively submitted to arbitration, by three arbitrators, in London according to the Arbitration Act1996 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. The contract between the Society and theClient shall be governed by English law.

ARTICLE 13

13.1. - These General Conditions constitute the sole contractual obligations binding together the So-ciety and the Client, to the exclusion of all other representation, statements, terms, conditions wheth-er express or implied. They may be varied in writing by mutual agreement.

13.2. - The invalidity of one or more stipulations of the present General Conditions does not affect the validityof the remaining provisions.

13.3. - The definitions herein take precedence over any definitions serving the same purpose which may ap-pear in other documents issued by the Society.

BV Mod. Ad. ME 545 j - 16 February 2004

June 2007

GUIDANCE NOTE NI 531

Guidelines for the application of the IMOPerformance Standard for Protective Coatings

Section 1 Introduction

Section 2 Main Contents and Requirements of the PerformanceStandard for Protective Coatings - An Overview

Section 3 The Performance Standard for Protective Coatings Stepby Step

2 Bureau Veritas June 2007

Section 1 Introduction

1 General 5

1.1 Purpose1.2 Scope of application of IMO PSPC1.3 Scope of application of IACS PR 34

2 Reference documents 5

2.1 IMO PSPC2.2 IACS PR 34

3 Terms and definitions 5

3.1 General3.2 Coating components

Section 2 Main Contents and Requirements of the Performance Standard forProtective Coatings - An Overview

1 General 7

1.1 PSPC overview1.2 Flow chart of the PSPC

2 Design of the coating system 7

2.1 General2.2 Definition of the coating system2.3 Approval of the coating system

3 Parties involved in the coating process and their main duties 9

3.1 General3.2 The coating inspector3.3 The coating manufacturer3.4 The shipyard3.5 The Classification Society and/or Recognised Organisation

4 Documents used for inspection agreement 9

4.1 General4.2 Basic documents4.3 Documents applicable during construction process

5 The implementation of the coating standard into the shipyardenvironment 10

5.1 General

6 The Coating Technical File (CTF) - The evidenceof the PSPC implementation 10

6.1 General

June 2007 Bureau Veritas 3

Section 3 The Performance Standard for Protective Coatings Step by Step

1 Achieving the coating quality level 11

1.1 General

2 Designing the coating system 11

2.1 Design requirement of the coating system2.2 Approval requirement of the coating system2.3 Preparation of the application procedure2.4 Preparation of the inspection procedure2.5 Submission of documentation (CTF)2.6 Approval and verification requirement by the Society

3 Agreement between parties 15

3.1 The pre-job conference

4 Coating works inside the shipyard 15

4.1 Shop primer4.2 Block assembly4.3 Erection

5 Procedure requirement during application 16

5.1 Coating application requirement5.2 Inspection procedure requirement5.3 Submission of document (CTF)5.4 After finishing the coating application5.5 Verification procedure requirement

6 Procedure requirement for in-service maintenance 19

6.1 General


NI 531, Sec 1


SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

1 General

1.1 Purpose

1.1.1 This Guidance Note provides information about coat-ing inspection to be carried out in accordance with the“Performance Standard for Protective Coatings in dedicatedseawater ballast tanks of all types of ships and double-sideskin spaces arranged in bulk carriers” referred to in SOLASRegulation II-1/3-2 as adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.216(82).

1.2 Scope of application of IMO PSPC

1.2.1 The Performance Standard for Protective Coatings,hereinafter referred to as “PSPC”, applies to ships of not lessthan 500 gross tonnage:

• for which the building contract is placed on or after 1July 2008

• or in the absence of a building contract, the keels ofwhich are laid or which are at a similar stage of con-struction on or after 1 January 2009

• or the delivery of which is on or after 1 July 2012.

All dedicated seawater ballast tanks arranged in ships anddouble-side skin spaces arranged in bulk carriers of 150 min length and upwards shall be coated during constructionin accordance with the PSPC (excluding ballast hold in bulkcarriers, see [3.1.1])

1.2.2 The PSPC covers protective coating requirements forthe ship steel structure. It is noted that other independentitems are fitted within the tanks to which coatings areapplied to provide protection against corrosion.

1.2.3 It is recommended that the PSPC is applied, to theextent possible, to those portions of permanent means ofaccess provided for inspection not integral to the ship struc-ture, such as rails, independent platforms and ladders.Other equivalent methods of providing corrosion protectionfor the non-integral items may also be used, provided theydo not impair the performance of the coatings of the sur-rounding structure. Access arrangements that are integral tothe ship structure, such as increased stiffener depths forwalkways and stringers, are to comply with the PSPC.

1.2.4 It is also recommended that supports for piping andmeasuring devices, be coated in accordance with the non-integral items indicated in [1.2.3].

1.3 Scope of application of IACS PR 34

1.3.1 IACS has developed the Procedural Requirement (PR)34 to be applied by IACS Societies to ships subject to theIACS Common Structural Rules for Bulk Carriers and for Oil

Tankers which are contracted for construction on or after 8December 2006 and until the date of application referred toin para.1 of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-2 as adopted by IMOResolution MSC.216 (82).

1.3.2 Prior to 1 July 2008 IACS Common Structural Rulesinvoke the PSPC for verification and inspection in accor-dance with IACS PR34.

2 Reference documents

2.1 IMO PSPC

2.1.1 IMO PSPC is the Performance Standard for ProtectiveCoatings for dedicated seawater ballast tanks in all types ofships and double-side skin spaces of bulk carriers adoptedon 8 December 2006 by IMO Maritime Safety Committeeunder Resolution MSC.215(82).

2.2 IACS PR 34

2.2.1 IACS PR 34 is the Procedural Requirement on appli-cation of the IMO PSPC, under IACS Common StructuralRules for Bulk Carriers on Oil Tankers.

3 Terms and definitions

3.1 General

3.1.1 Seawater ballast tank

Seawater ballast tank is a tank which is used solely for saltwater ballast.

It includes:

• segregated ballast tanks

• side ballast tanks

• ballast double bottom spaces

• topside tanks

• hopper side tanks

• peak tanks.

Holds of bulk carriers used for both cargo and salt waterballast are not considered as seawater ballast tanks in thescope of this Guidance Note.

3.1.2 Edge grinding

Edge grinding is the treatment of edge before secondary sur-face preparation.

3.1.3 “GOOD” condition

“GOOD” condition is the condition with minor spot rustingas defined in Resolution A.744(18).

NI 531, Sec 1


3.1.4 Hard coatingHard coating is a coating that chemically converts during itscuring process or a non-convertible air drying coatingwhich may be used for maintenance purposes. It can beeither inorganic or organic.

3.1.5 DFTDFT is the Dry Film Thickness.

3.1.6 NDFT and 90/10 practiceNDFT is the Nominal Dry Film Thickness.

90/10 practice means that 90% of all thickness measure-ments shall be greater than or equal to NDFT and none ofthe remaining 10% measurements shall be below 0.9NDFT.

3.1.7 Primer coatPrimer coat is the first coat of the coating system applied inthe shipyard/manufacturer after shop primer application.

3.1.8 Shop-primerShop-primer is the prefabrication primer coating appliedbefore the first coat of a coating system to steel plates.

3.1.9 Target useful lifeTarget useful life is the target value, in years, of the durabil-ity for which the coating system is designed.

3.1.10 DustDust is loose particle matter present on a surface preparedfor painting, arising from blast-cleaning or other surfacepreparation processes, or resulting from the action of theenvironment.

3.1.11 Dew pointDew point is the temperature at which air is saturated withmoisture.

3.1.12 Technical Data SheetThe Technical Data Sheet (TDS) is coating manufacturer’sproduct data sheet which contains detailed technicalinstruction and information relevant to the coating and itsapplication. It is part of the coating system definition.

3.2 Coating components

3.2.1 PigmentsPigments are discrete particulate solids used to provide spe-cific protective or decorative properties to the coating. Theyare organic/inorganic chemical products.

3.2.2 VehicleVehicle is the liquid part of the coating. It consists of thebinder, solvent and any liquid additives.

3.2.3 BindersBinders (resins) are part of nonvolatile film-forming compo-nents. Their function is to bond coating material to objectsurface during drying and after drying.

3.2.4 SolventsSolvents are volatile components. They may be classified as:

a) Primary solvent (active): dissolves the resin to form a liq-uid solution

b) Latent solvent: often used together with the primary sol-vent (easiness of application, evaporation rate control,enhancement of film properties)

c) Diluents are used with active solvents to dilute the coat-ing. In some cases diluents may improve smoothnessand toughness of the film.

The two major characteristics of solvents, which influencetheir use are:

a) Solvency power: their ability to dissolve other chemicalcompounds

b) Volatility: their ability to quit the coating (it governs theevaporation rate)

Solvent safety is concerned with two types of hazards:

a) Fire hazards: Flash point

1) LEL (Lower Explosive Limit) is the lowest concentra-tion of solvent vapor in air that can be ignited

2) UEL (Upper Explosive Limit) is the highest concen-tration of solvent vapor in air that can be ignited

b) Health hazards: all solvents to be handled with care(ventilation, breathing apparatus and protective clothing)

NI 531, Sec 2


SECTION 2 MAIN CONTENTS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE

PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR PROTECTIVE

COATINGS - AN OVERVIEW

1 General

1.1 PSPC overview

1.1.1 The PSPC is addressing the following items/tasks:

a) design of the coating system

b) parties involved in the coating process and their mainduties

c) agreement between parties with respect to contractualdocuments

d) the implementation of the coating standard into theshipyard environment

e) the Coating Technical File (CTF) - Demonstrating thePSPC implementation

1.2 Flow chart of the PSPC

1.2.1 A general flow chart, pointing items listed in [1.1.1]and tasks that are included inside of the PSPC, is presentedin Fig 1.

2 Design of the coating system

2.1 General

2.1.1 The design of the coating system is consisting of:

a) Definition of the coating system

b) Approval of the coating system.

2.2 Definition of the coating system

2.2.1 The definition of the coating system is consisting onthe following items:

a) Selection of the coating products: complete number andtypes of coats applied to a substrate in a predeterminedorder

b) Primary surface preparation (including cleanlinessbefore and after surface preparation)

c) Secondary surface preparation (including cleanlinessbefore and after surface preparation)

d) Mixing and thinning operations regarding each type ofcoat

e) Checking of environmental conditions during all coat-ing operations

f) Coating application manner, wet film thickness (unifor-mity of film thickness), nominal dry film thickness (perlayer, and for the total multi-coat).

Listed items a) to f) are specified inside of the PSPC, to refer-enced standards. Application of the referenced internationalstandards footnoted in the PSPC is mandatory under theIACS PR 34.

The definition of the coating system, covering listed items a)to f), is to be included into the manufacturing coating speci-fication, which has to make reference to specific coatingTechnical Data Sheets (TDS), and Material Safety DataSheets (MSDS).

The manufacturing coating specification must be in compli-ance with the PSPC's coating system definition.

At this stage, the manufacturing coating specification is tobe agreed upon between the shipowner, the shipyard andthe coating manufacturer (and coating applicator, as well),with respect to the coating system definition.

The manufacturing coating specification is to address,beyond of the coating system definition, other aspects, suchas safety and health, inspection, metrology.

2.3 Approval of the coating system

2.3.1 Within the scope of the CSR, the defined coating sys-tem must be qualified according to IACS PR 34, article 1,“IACS procedure for coating system approval”.

A collection of relevant documents/reports regarding theapproval of the coating system is made by the coating man-ufacturer and provided to the shipyard.

Statement of Compliance (SOC) or Type Approval Certifi-cate of the coating system is to be kept inside the CoatingTechnical File (CTF).

NI 531, Sec 2


Figure 1: PSPC Flow Chart

Designing coating system

BureauVeritas

CTF: COATING TECHNICAL FILE

Coating specification, TDS

Qualification of the coating inspector

Agreement between parties

Ship verified inspection report

��

� Shipyard work records

� Shipyard inspection report verified by CI

Coating system

Definition and specification of the coating system

CoatingManufacturer

Shipowner

Shipyard

Coating Technical File (maintained onboard)

Coating specifications

(Technical data sheets & statement of compliance or TAC)

Inspection procedures & plan

Selection of Coating Inspector (CI)

Agreement between parties

� Shop primer

� Block construction

� Erection

Coating work records

Statement of compliance or TAC of coating system

Coating technical data sheets

� Inspection procedures

� Coating inspection logs of CI

In-service procedures and records

� Agreement between parties

� Inspection logs of CI checked for proper equipment,

techniques, and methodology

ThirdParty

issue statement of

compliance or TACApproval of the coating system

Agreement on the inspection procedures & plan

New Construction

Steel preparation and Coating application

Inspection

In-service maintenance, repair and re-coating

request

review

check approval

review

check qualification

check ID

on containers

review

check

implement

submit

implement

maintain

compile

agree

NI 531, Sec 2


3 Parties involved in the coating processand their main duties

3.1 General

3.1.1 The parties identified inside of the PSPC are:

a) The coating inspector (CI), with a specific qualificationlevel

b) The coating manufacturer

c) The shipyard

d) The Administration, or the Recognised Organisation

e) The Classification Society

f) The shipowner.

The duties of the coating inspector, the coating manufac-turer, the shipyard, the Classification Society as the Recogn-ised Organisation are addressed under [3.2] to [3.5].

3.2 The coating inspector

3.2.1 The main activities of the coating inspector are:

a) Before the job coating works starts:

• read, and comprehend the manufacturing coatingspecification, referenced codes, and standards

• study coating material data sheets, checking for anyconflict with the specification

• visit the site.

b) At the pre-job conference:

• resolve any questions about the specifications,including specific reports, test instruments, and pro-cedures

• if required, be ready to state exactly what tests andreports to adopt

• determine what are the responsibilities and authorityof the coating inspector.

c) During work:

• perform Quality Control tasks; report and record allthese Quality Control activities

• checks the compliance of the work with the specifi-cation requirements

• report all non conformities and relevant correctiveactions.

3.3 The coating manufacturer

3.3.1 The coating manufacturer:

a) provides the coating material, selected to ensuring the15 years of product target useful life, as required byPSPC

b) provides TDS & MSDS related with relevant coatingmaterial

c) advises and assists the shipyard & the coating applicatorif needed.

3.4 The shipyard

3.4.1 The shipyard:

a) ensures that all technical aspects of the PSPC areaddressed, with reference to relevant standards

b) enforces the application of the manufacturing coatingspecification and checks that relevant standards are met

c) ensures that the Quality Assurance system is addressingall aspects regarding coating activities, including nonconformities and their relevant corrective actions.

3.5 The Classification Society and/or Rec-ognised Organisation

3.5.1 The Classification Society and/or Recognised Organi-sation will check, at random, that:

a) Basic documents listed in [4.2], including TechnicalData Sheet and Statement of Compliance or TypeApproval Certificate comply with the PSPC

b) Coating identification on representative containers isconsistent with respect to Technical Data Sheet andStatement of Compliance or Type Approval Certificate

c) Coating inspector’s qualification is in accordance withthe qualification level of the PSPC

d) Coating inspector's reports of surface preparation andcoating's application indicate compliance with Techni-cal Data Sheet and Statement of Compliance or TypeApproval Certificate

e) Documents listed in [4.3] are duly filled in/writ-ten/signed, and form part of the CTF.

The Classification Society and/or Recognised Organisation-will also monitor implementation of the coating inspectionrequirements.

3.5.2 Reference to IACS PR 34

The main duties of the Classification Society are stated inthe IACS PR 34.

4 Documents used for inspectionagreement

4.1 General

4.1.1 All the coating works shall be expressed in terms oftechnical procedures and documents specific to the project,which are to be agreed upon between involved parties.

These documents can be divided into two main classes:basic documents and documents applicable during con-struction process, as listed in [4.2] and [4.3].

4.2 Basic documents

4.2.1 These documents are:

• Manufacturing coating specification

• Technical Data Sheet

• Material Safety Data Sheet

NI 531, Sec 2


• Procedure of coating applicationIt is the responsibility of the shipyard to provide clearinstructions regarding important steps of the coatingapplication

• TAC or SOC of coating system• Inspection procedure of surface preparation and coating

process (specification review, pre-job meeting minutes,scope of work, safety data, coating inspector's check listand inspection details)

• Certificate of coating inspector• Procedures for in-service maintenance and repair of

coating system.

4.3 Documents applicable during construc-tion process

4.3.1 Synthesis document issued by the shipyardA synthesis document, containing the list of all seawaterballat tanks and double-side skin spaces of the ship underconstruction, including their respective identification num-bers, is to be issued by the shipyard. This document shouldallow to trace the coating works and records. It shouldclearly indicate, for each concerned tank, the identificationnumbers of construction blocks, sub-items and tasks, thatare included in the CTF.

4.3.2 Documents during construction processDocuments applicable during construction process that areto be added to the CTF are:• shipyard work records of coating application• coating log issued by coating inspector• non conformity report if any, and relevant corrective

action• shipyard's verified inspection report.

5 The implementation of the coating stan-dard into the shipyard environment

5.1 General

5.1.1 The approved coating system must be integrated intothe whole ship construction process. This will be demon-

strated by making sure that the following aspects arerespected:

• The approved coating system, which is defined in themanufacturing coating specification, is the one beingimplemented to the process

• The manufacturing coating specification is complyingwith the PSPC requirements

• Raw materials are marked, stored and correspond tothose specified in the manufacturing coating specifica-tion and TDS

• All coating operations are performed in accordancewith the manufacturing coating specification

• Traceability of all coating operations is ensured alongthe whole coating process, by keeping records onreports and documents. These records are also toinclude non conformities and corrective actions.

• The PSPC is ensuring the implementation of thedesigned coating system by clearly providing the list ofminimum inspection items to be covered by the coatinginspector.

• Each process is ensuring the maintenance of the qualitylevel within the PSPC requirements and/or the work-manship preliminary defined by the shipyard as shownin the attached example, given in Tab 1.

6 The Coating Technical File (CTF) - Theevidence of the PSPC implementation

6.1 General

6.1.1 All documents listed under [4.2] and [4.3] are to bepart of the Coating Technical File (CTF), providing the evi-dence that the designed coating system has been imple-mented into the whole ship construction process.

The CTF is to be submitted to the Administration or Recog-nized Organization, for review.

Table 1 : Implementation of PSPC

Construction process Critical pass Possible causes Quality Control action

Shop primer Water soluble salt ≤ 50 mg/m2

Improper cleaning process To confirm cleaning process before surface treatment

Surface treatment after erection Damaged area < 2% Overhaul of structure or outfitting after coating

Proper Quality Control and production planning/control

NI 531, Sec 3


SECTION 3 THE PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR PROTECTIVE

COATINGS STEP BY STEP

1 Achieving the coating quality level

1.1 General

1.1.1 The achievement of the coating quality levelrequested by the PSPC is not only the challenge of the coat-ing applicator, but a work to be conducted jointly by allparties intervening in the various stages of the ship con-struction process.

Since the very beginning of the project, at the design stage,the various aspects of the coating process are to be takeninto consideration. Complicated details of the structure, dif-ficult access to certain areas, creation of regions of poorventilation, and poor drainage should be avoided. In othercases, design deficiencies regarding the coating may adddifficulties to obtain the required level of standards referredinto the PSPC, for surface preparation activities, for thenominal dry film thickness, or related with any other spe-cific coating characteristic.

The PSPC is considering these aspects under paragraph3.3.2, as follows:

The coating performance can be improved by adoptingmeasures at the ship design stage such as reducing scallops,using rolled profiles, avoiding complex geometric configura-tions and ensuring that the structural configuration permitseasy access for tools and to facilitate cleaning, drainage anddrying of the space to be coated.

After the design, the specification of the coating works is tobe prepared in tightly contact with the coating manufac-turer, to take into consideration some practical aspects ofthe application process, such as:

• the easiness of the coating application

• the need of very high level of skilled labor, required forthe application of some modern coatings, and may be,not available at the construction site

• the availability of necessary sophisticated equipment,required for some types of coatings.

The subject of specifications and selection of coating sys-tems is to be addressed taking into consideration all possi-ble coating application problems that could exist for thespecific project under consideration.

Special attention is to be drawn to temporary constructionaids, to make sure they are removed after construction, andnot left in place, and coated along with the original coatingapplication. These aids are to be removed, and the surface

at this area prepared to the relevant standard, for the coat-ing application.

The production of a quality coating is much dependent ofthe ability of the coating applicator to perform its job, withan appropriate application technique. Special attention is tobe paid to make sure that he has the required level of quali-fication. Typical problems caused by poor qualificationlevel and faulty application techniques could include:improper thickness of the coat, pinholes, overspray, holi-days and pinpoint rusting.

2 Designing the coating system

2.1 Design requirement of the coating system

2.1.1 The definition of the coating system must meet all rel-evant requirements of Table 1 of the PSPC.

Coating manufacturers shall provide a specification of theprotective coating system to satisfy the requirements ofTab1, which is an extract of Table 1 of the PSPC, regarding thedesign of the coating system.

2.2 Approval requirement of the coatingsystem

2.2.1 Coating type is epoxy based systems.

Coating pre-qualification test should comply with Tab 1,item 3.

Epoxy based systems tested prior to the date of entry intoforce of the PSPC, except for CSR, for which IACS PR 34applies (December 8, 2006 is the entry into force date), in alaboratory by a method corresponding to the test procedurein annex 1 of the PSPC or equivalent, which as a minimummeets the requirements for rusting and blistering; or whichhave documented field exposure for 5 years with a finalcoating condition of not less than "GOOD" may beaccepted.

For all other systems, testing according to the procedure inannex 1 of the PSPC, or equivalent, is required.

Results from prequalification tests (Tab 1, item 3) of thecoating system shall be documented, and a Statement ofCompliance or Type Approval Certificate shall be issued iffound satisfactory by a third party, independent of the coat-ing manufacturer.

NI 531, Sec 3


Table 1 : Basic coating system requirements for dedicated seawater ballast tanks of all type of shipsand double-side skin spaces of bulk carriers of 150 m and upward

IACS interpretation of PSPC: as for the IACS CSR for BulkCarriers and for Oil Tankers, which are contracted for con-struction on or after 8 December 2006 and until the date ofapplication referred to in para.1 of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-2, as adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.216(82), the proce-dure for coating system approval refer to PR34, article 1.

Type Approval Certificate showing compliance with thePSPC section 5 shall be issued if the results of either methodA+D, or B+D, or C+D are found satisfactory by the Society.

Method A: Laboratory Test

a) Coating pre-qualification test shall be carried out by the

test laboratory which is recognized by the Society andmeets the requirements set out in IACS UR Z17 para-graphs 4, 5, 6 and 7 (except for 4.6 & 5.3) as below.

b) Results from satisfactory pre-qualification tests (PSPCtable 1, paragraph 1.3 of the PSPC) of the coating sys-tem shall be documented and submitted to the Society.

Item Characteristic Requirement

1 Selection of the coating system

The selection of the coating system should be considered by the parties involved with respect to the service conditions and planned maintenance. The following aspects, among other things should be considered:• location of space relative to heated surfaces• frequency of ballasting and deballasting operations• required surface conditions• required surface cleanliness and dryness• supplementary cathodic protections, if any (where coating is supplemented by cahodic

protection, the coating should be compatible with the cathodic protection system).Coating manufactures shall have products with documented satisfactory performance records and Technical Data Sheets. The manufactures should also be capable of rendering adequate technical assistance. Performance records, Technical Data Sheet and technical assistance (if given) shall be recorded in the Coating Technical File.Coating for application underneath sun-heated decks or on bulkheads forming boundaries of heated spaces shall be able to withstand repeated heating and/or cooling without becomingbrittle.

2 Coating type Epoxy based systems.Other coating systems with performance according to the test procedure in annex 1 of PSPC.A multi-coat system with each coat of contrasting colour is recommended.The top coat shall be of a light colour in order to facilitate in-service inspection.

3 Coating pre-qualification test

Epoxy based systems tested prior to the date of entry into force of the PSPC in a laboratory by a method corresponding to the test procedure in annex 1 of PSPC or equivalent, which as a mini-mum meets the requirements for rusting and blistering; or which have documented field exposure for 5 years with a final coating condition of not less than "GOOD" may be accepted.For all other system, testing according to the procedure in annex 1 of PSPC, or equivalent, is required.

4 Job specification There shall be a minimum of two stripe coats and two spray coats, except that the second stripe coat, by way of welded seams only, may be reduced in scope where it is proven that the NDFT can be met by the coats applied in order to avoid unnecessary over thickness. Any reduction in scope of the second stripe coat shall be fully detailed in the CTF.Stripe coats shall be applied by brush or roller. Roller to be used for scallops, ratholes, etc., only.Each main coating layer shall be appropriately cured before application of the next coat, in accor-dance with coating manufacturer's recommendations.Surface contaminants such as rust, grease, dust, salt, oil, etc. shall be removed prior to painting with proper method according to the paint manufacturer's recommendation. Abrasive inclusions embedded in the coating shall be removed. Job specifications shall include the dry-to-recoat times and walk-on time given by the manufacturer.

5 NDFT (Nominal Dry Film Thickness)

NDFT 320 µm with 90/10 rule for epoxy based coatings, other systems to coating manufacturer's specifications.Maximum total dry film thickness according to manufacturer's detailed specifications.Care shall be taken to avoid increasing the thickness in an exaggerated way.Wet film thickness shall be regularly checked during application.Thinner shall be limited to those types and quantities recommended by themanufacturer.

NI 531, Sec 3


Method B: 5 years field exposure

a) Coating manufacturer's records are to be examined toconfirm coating system has 5 years field exposure.

b) A joint (coating manufacturer/Society) survey of all bal-last tanks of a selected ship is to be carried out for thepurpose of verification of compliance with the require-ments of item a) and item e). The coating manufac-turer's representative is to be qualified as defined in 2.2of PR34.

c) The selected ship is to have ballast tanks in regular use,of which:

• at least one tank approx 2000 m3

• at least one tank shall be adjacent to heated tankand

• at least one tank underdeck exposed to sun.

d) In the case that the selected ship does not meet therequirements in 1.5 then the limitations shall be clearlystated on the type approval certificate. For example, thecoating cannot be used in tanks adjacent to heatedtanks or underdeck or tanks with volume greater thanthe size surveyed.

e) All ballast tanks are to be in "GOOD" condition, with-out touch up or repair in the prior 5 years.

• “GOOD" is defined as: condition with spot rustingon less than 3% of the area under considerationwithout visible failure of the coating. Rusting atedges or welds, must be on less than 20% of edgesor welds in the area under consideration.

• Examples of how to report coating conditions withrespect to areas under consideration should be asthose given in IACS Recommendation 87, Appendix 1.

Method C: Existing Marintek B1 approvals.

a) Epoxy coatings systems with existing satisfactoryMarintek test reports minimum level B1 issued beforeDec 8th 2006 can be accepted.

b) Such coatings are to be applied in accordance withTable 1 of the PSPC rather than the application condi-tions used during the approval test which may differfrom the PSPC, unless these are more stringent thantable 1 of the PSPC.

Method D: Coating manufacturer

a) The coating manufacturer shall meet the requirementsset out in IACS UR Z17 paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7,(except for 4.6), which is to be verified by the Society.

b) In the case that a manufacturer wishes to have productswhich are manufactured in different locations under thesame name, then infrared (IR) identification and specificgravity shall be used to demonstrate that they are thesame coating, or individual approval tests will berequired for the paint manufactured in each location.

2.3 Preparation of the application procedure

2.3.1 Shipyard application procedure is to be verified bycoating inspectors and coating manufacturer to check itsconformance with the PSCPC.

This verification should be performed with respect to:

a) Surface preparation and allied discipline:

• steel surface

• staging, lighting, ventilation, dehumidifying, andheating

• contamination, abrasive blasting and water jetting

b) Application:

• stripe coating

• application method

• conditions for painting application work

c) Repairs during new building:

• materials for repair

• repair process

d) Supplementary cathodic protection.

2.4 Preparation of the inspection procedure

2.4.1 The procedure of inspection of surface preparationand coating processes shall be agreed upon between theshipowner, the shipyard and the coating manufacturer andpresented to the Society for review. The Society may, if it sorequires, participate in the agreement process. Clear evi-dence of these inspections shall be reported and beincluded in the Coating Technical File (CTF) (PSPC, section3.2 and PR34, article 3).

2.4.2 Procedures for inspection and repair procedures atnew construction stage are to give sufficient details for:

- Equipment and condition (staging, accessibility lighting,ventilation, dehumidifying, and heating)

- The inspection items as a minimum, identified in section6.2 of PSPC (surface preparation, coating application)

- Acceptance criteria:

• Visual appearance

• Measurements of DFT

• Control for adhesive/cohesive properties, for holi-days and for mechanical damage.

2.4.3 Qualification - The coating inspector is to have atleast one of the following qualifications:

• NACE coating inspector Level 2

• FROSIO inspector Level III

• Equivalent qualifications accepted by the Society.

Moreover, only coating inspectors with at least 2 years rele-vant coating inspector experience, can write and\or autho-rize procedures, or decide upon corrective actions toovercome non-compliances.

2.4.4 Equivalent qualification:

Equivalent qualification is the successful completion, asdetermined by course tutor, of an approved course.

The course tutors shall be qualified with at least 2 years rel-evant experience and qualified to NACE coating inspectorLevel 2 or FROSIO inspector Level III, or with an equivalentqualification.

NI 531, Sec 3


Approved course: a course that has a syllabus based on theissues associated with the PSPC including the following:

• Health environment and safety• Corrosion• Materials and design

• International standards referenced in PSPC• Curing mechanisms• Role of inspector

• Test instruments• Inspection procedures• Coating specification

• Application procedures• Coating failures• Pre-job conference

• MSDS and product data sheet review• Coating technical file• Surface preparation

• Dehumidification• Water jetting• Coating types and inspection criteria

• Specialized application equipment• Use of inspection procedures for destructive testing and

non destructive testing instruments.• Inspection instruments and test methods

• Coating inspection techniques• Cathodic protection• Practical exercises, case studies.

Examples of approved courses may be internal courses runby the coating manufacturers or shipyards.Such a course shall have an acceptable measurement ofperformance, such as an examination with both theoreticaland practical elements. The course and examination shallbe approved by the Society.

Equivalent qualification arising from practical experience isconsidering an individual who:• has a minimum of 5-years practical work experience as a

coating inspector of ballast tanks during new construc-tion within the last 10 years, and

• has successfully completed the examination given here-above.

2.5 Submission of documentation (CTF)

2.5.1 Documents issued by the coatingmanufacturer

The following documents are to be provided by the coatingmanufacturer to the shipyard:

a) Copy of Statement of Compliance or Type Approval Cer-tificate

b) Documents on products with satisfactory performancerecords

c) Technical Data Sheet of the coating system complyingwith the IMO PSPC and containing at least:• product name and identification mark and/or number• materials, components and composition of the coat-

ing system, colours

• minimum and maximum dry film thickness

• application methods, tools and/or machines

• condition of surface to be coated (de-rusting grade,cleanness, profile), and

• environmental limitations (temperature and humidity).

d) Safety data sheet:

• identification of the preparation and of the company

• composition/information on ingredients

• hazards identification

• first aid measures

• fire-fighting measures

• accidental release measures

• handling and storage

• exposure control/personal protection

• physical and chemical properties

• transport information

• regulatory information

• additional information.

e) Specification of the coating system to satisfy the require-ments of PSPC, including:

• project name and application area

• steel preparation and surface preparation and sur-face cleanliness

• product information: paint system, physical con-stant, application method, recoating interval, etc.

• environmental conditions

• how to do:

- application procedure

- acceptance criteria and

- inspection

In case of a technical assistance, if any: refer to serviceagreement.

2.5.2 Documents issued by the shipyardThe following document, issued by the shipyard, with theassistance of the coating manufacturer, is to be provided:

• Verified coating application procedure of shipyard.

2.6 Approval and verification requirementby the Society

2.6.1 The procedure for inspection of surface preparationand coating processes shall be agreed upon, between theshipowner, the shipyard and the coating manufacturer. Itshould be presented by the shipyard to the Society forreview.

2.6.2 Coating system approval: Type Approval Certificateshowing compliance with the PSPC section 5 shall beissued if the results of either method A+D, or B+D, or C+Dare found satisfactory by either the Society or a third partyrecognised by the Society (see IACS PR34).

2.6.3 Check that the Technical Data Sheet and Statement ofCompliance or Type Approval Certificate comply with thePSPC.

NI 531, Sec 3


2.6.4 Check that the inspector is qualified in accordancewith the qualification standards in paragraph 2.4.2 to 2.4.4of PR34.

3 Agreement between parties

3.1 The pre-job conference

3.1.1 GeneralThe shipyard prior to starting works, notifies the coatingmanufacturer, the shipowner and the coating inspector inadvance, about the pre-job conference. During this meet-ing, the parties can analyse and discuss the following con-tractual documents:

• manufacturing coating specification

• technical data sheet

• material safety document sheet

• procedure of coating application complied by shipyard

It is the responsibility of the Shipyard to provide clearinstructions regarding all important steps of the coatingapplication, including time schedule

• TAC or SOC of coating system

• inspection (procedure) of surface preparation and coat-ing process (specification review, scope of work, safetydata, coating inspector's check list, inspection details)

• certificate of coating inspector

• procedures for in-service maintenance and repair ofcoating system.

3.1.2 Topics to cover in the meetingThe items to be discussed should cover:

a) review of standards and work procedures, to resolve anyambiguities or errors inside of these documents

b) scope of coating works:

• list of all items/sub items to be coated, indicatingareas not to be coated

c) surface preparation:

• cleaning process

- pre-inspection - a procedure to inspect for, mark,and correct fabrication defects

- pre-cleaning - removal of contaminants (oil,grease, dirt) by solvent cleaning to a known stan-dard

- cleaning operations to referenced standards(hand tool, or power tool, or abrasive blastingcleaning operations)

• anchor profile

d) coating material standards (TDS/MSDS are provided,and suitably written)

e) workmanship

f) work schedule

g) inspection methods and interpretation of results / report-ing forms (formats)

h) frequency of tests

i) non conformities and corrective actions

j) accessibility to all items and sub-items to be coated

k) all capabilities at site (power supplies, water, shower,toilets)

l) scaffold, tarpaulins

m) communication means

n) safety issues.

A collection of applicable standards and relevant technicaldocuments should be available during the meeting, permit-ting to clarify any specific technical issue, if necessary.

3.1.3 Minutes of meetingAll involved parties in the scope of the PSPC should be rep-resented in this meeting. As an example, a list of personsparticipating in this meeting could be: shipowner, shipyard(management: construction operator, project manager; pur-chasing agent, design engineer, safety engineer, QualityAssurance), subcontractors (suppliers, coating applicator,coating manufacturer), coating inspector, etc. The coatinginspector is a key party, and may be in contact with all thesepersons during the project. The pre-job conference is ingeneral a good opportunity to permit all parties to be incontact.

Clear minutes of the meeting should be written, covering allquestions and answers. At the end of the meeting all poten-tial sources of problems should be raised, and appropriatesolutions adopted. The minutes will become a contractualdocument, which is a part of the agreement between par-ties, containing the issues covered during the meeting.

4 Coating works inside the shipyard

4.1 Shop primer

4.1.1 Coating works according to Table 1 of PSPCBefore starting the surface preparation, all steel defects haveto be treated according to the standards referred into thePSPC. These defects are including, amongst others, surfacelaminations, shelling, and inclusions.

The soluble salt content should be checked to the accept-able limit of the PSPC (50 mg/m2).

Oil, grease, and any other contaminations should also bechecked according to the PSPC.

All these operations are to be performed taking into accountthe environment conditions (air and surface temperatures,relative humidity and dew point.)

4.1.2 Inspection requirementRaw materials should be confirmed to meet the require-ments of the approved coating manufacturer’s documents(TDS, MSDS). Cleanliness should be monitored, and oilgrease be checked by relevant method such as 'chalk marktest".

Measurement of salt content and, if necessary, removalbefore going into shot blasting is to be considered. Other-wise shipyard procedures are to check salt content after shotblasting. The whole conductivity value is calculated toNaCl equivalent.

DFT shall be confirmed to conform to the specified values.

NI 531, Sec 3


4.2 Block assembly

4.2.1 Surface preparation

The performance of coating system is very dependent onthe quality and type of surface preparation (adhesion prop-erties of the film).

During abrasive blasting and cleaning operations, checks ofambient climate must be done at the following chronologi-cal points:

a) immediately before abrasive blasting

b) during the mid-shift break if possible

c) at the inspection after the rough cleaning

d) at the completion of the final cleaning inspection.

Steel work should be treated before blasting for weldingdefects.

Edges are to be treated to a rounded radius of minimum 2mm, or subjected to three pass grinding or at least equiva-lent process before painting. Edges means all edges exceptthe natural rounded edges of sections (or profiled steelbars).

Any oil, grease or other visible contamination are to beremoved.

Blasting abrasives to be used should comply with relevantrequirement or ISO standard, such as ISO 11124, ISO11125, ISO 11126 and ISO 11127.

After blasting and cleaning and prior to the application ofthe first coat of the system, the steel surface shall be testedfor levels of remaining soluble salts in at least one locationper block. The limit of salt content should comply to table 1of PSPC. In case of non compliance, effective remedy meth-ods could be referring to coating manufacturer's recom-mendation.

4.2.2 Coating application

For paint application work, the coating applicator (contrac-tor or shipyard) must ensure that:

• safety regulations are obeyed

• storage of paint is duly considered.

Before application of any paint the coating applicator (con-tractor or shipyard) should also check the following:

• suitability of application equipment

• wet film thickness during application

• air dehumidification level, ventilation and heatingequipment to maintain the steel in a dry condition at atemperature above the specified minimum at all timesduring the paint application and subsequent curing.

During the coating application the following must be con-trolled:

• that the ventilation and/or air-conditioning equipment iskept running

• that coating applicator (contractor or shipyard) keepsthe deck free from blasting material and debris in thevicinity of tanks being coated

• that openings for tank cleaning machines are ade-quately covered to prevent ingress of dirt or water

• that rain shelters are built over tank accesses.

Stripe coating of welds and places difficult to reach by sprayshould be done by brush, to ensure sufficient film thick-nesses on such areas.

Improper film formation is not acceptable as this willreduce the protective properties of the coating.

4.2.3 Acceptance

DFT measurements shall be taken according to annex 3 ofthe PSPC, to prove that the coating has been applied to thespecified thickness.

Another acceptance criterion should be based upon thevisual appearance inspection, used to make the decision onwhether detected defects should be repaired.

4.3 Erection

4.3.1 Surface preparation

After erection of blocks, conformance to table 1 of PSPC,and to the agreed coating specification is to be verified, byconsidering, amongst others, the visual inspection for steelsurface condition, and surface preparation.

Checks of ambient conditions must be done before coatingand regularly during the coating process.

The identification and appraisal of damaged area are to beduly performed. The calculated damaged area is to complywith the requirement of table 1 of PSPC. For this purpose,the scribing matrix method, based on photos and area cal-culations could be adopted.

5 Procedure requirement during appli-cation

5.1 Coating application requirement

5.1.1 The shipyard shall apply the protective coating inaccordance with the verified Technical Data Sheet and itsown verified application procedures.

5.1.2 The requirements for protective coating systemsmeeting the PSPC are listed in Tab 2.

5.1.3 Shipyard work records of coating application are toprovide information on:

• applied actual space and area (m2) of each compart-ment

• applied coating system

• time of coating, thickness and number of layers

• ambient condition during coating

• method of surface preparation

An extract of table 1 of the PSPC is given in Tab 2.

NI 531, Sec 3


Table 2 : Requirements for coating application

Item Characteristic Requirement

PSP (Primary Surface Preparation)

1 Blasting and Profile Sa 2½; with profiles between 30-75µmBlasting shall not be carried out when:• the relative humidity is above 85 %; or• the surface temperature of steel is less than 3° C above the dew pointChecking of the steel surface cleanliness and roughness profile shall be carried out at the end of the surface preparation and before the application of the primer, in accordance with the manu-facturer’s recommendations.

2 Water soluble salts limit equivalent to NaCl

≤ 50 mg/m² of sodium chloride.

3 Shop primer Zinc containing inhibitor free zinc silicate based or equivalent.Compatibility with main coating system shall be confirmed by the coating manufacturer.

Secondary surface preparation

1 Steel condition The steel surface shall be prepared so that the coating selected can achieve an even distribution at the required NDFT and have an adequate adhesion by removing sharp edges, grinding weld beads and removing weld spatter and any other surface contaminant.Edges to be treated to a rounded radius of minimum 2 mm, or subjected to three pass grinding or at least equivalent process before painting.

2 Surface treatment Sa 2½ on damaged shop primer and welds.Sa 2 removing at least 70% of intact shop primer, which has not passed a pre-qualification certi-fied by test procedures in 1.3 of Table 1 of PSPC.If the complete coating system comprising epoxy based main coating and shop primer has passed a pre-qualification certified by test procedures in 1.3 of Table 1 of PSPC, intact shop primer may be retained, provided the same epoxy coating system is used. The retained shop primer shall be cleaned by sweep blasting, high pressure water washing or equivalent method.If a zinc silicate shop primer has passed the pre-qualification test of 1.3 of Table 1 of PSPC as part of an epoxy coating system, it may be used in combination with other epoxy coatings certi-fied under 1.3 of Table 1 of PSPC, provided that the compatibility has been confirmed by the manufacturer by the test in accordance with paragraph 1.7 of appendix 1 to annex 1 of PSPC without wave movement.

3 Surface treatment after erection

Butts St 3 or better or Sa 2½ where practicable. Small damages up to 2% of total area: St3.Contiguous damages over 25m² or over 2% the total area of the tank Sa 2½ should be applied.Coating in overlap to be feathered.

4 Profile requirements In case of full or partial blasting 30-75µm, otherwise as recommended by the coating manufac-turer.

5 Dust Dust quantity rating "1"for dust size class "3", "4" or "5". Lower dust size classes to be removed if visible on the surface to be coated without magnification.

6 Water soluble salts limit equivalent to NaCl after blasting / griding

≤ 50 mg/m² of sodium chloride.

7 Oil contamination No oil contamination.

Miscellaneous

1 Ventilation Adequate ventilation is necessary for the proper drying and curing of coating. Ventilation should be maintained throughout the application process and for a period after application is com-pleted, as recommended by the coating manufacturer.

2 Environmental conditions Coating shall be applied under controlled humidity and surface conditions, in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications. In addition, coating shall not be applied when: • the relative humidity is above 85%; or• the surface temperature is less than 3ºC above the dew point.

3 Testing of coatings Destructive testing should be avoided.Dry film thickness shall be measured after each coat for quality control purpose and the total dry film thickness shall be confirmed after completion of final coat, using appropriate thickness gauges (see annex 3 of PSPC).

4 Repair Any defective areas, e.g. pin-holes, bubbles, voids, etc. should be marked up and appropriate repairs effected. All such repairs shall be re-checked and documented.

NI 531, Sec 3


5.2 Inspection procedure requirement

5.2.1 Inspector’s qualification

The inspection shall be carried out by qualified coatinginspectors, as stated in [2.4.3].

5.2.2 Inspection

Inspection activities are to be carried out, as follows:

a) Coating inspectors shall inspect surface preparation andcoating application during the coating process by carry-ing out, as a minimum, those inspection items identifiedin Tab 3 to ensure compliance with the PSPC.

b) Emphasis shall be placed on initiation of each stage ofsurface preparation and coatings application asimproper work is extremely difficult to correct later inthe coating progress:

• representative structural members shall be non-destructively examined for coating thickness

• the coating inspector shall verify that appropriatecollective measures have been carried out

• results from the inspection shall be recorded by thecoating inspector.

5.3 Submission of document (CTF)

5.3.1 Coating log issued by the coating inspector (exam-ples of daily log and non-conformity report are given inannex 2 of the PSPC):

• inspection records by block and erection

• list of deviations for each compartment

• amendment/correction record.

5.3.2 Shipyard's verified inspection report, including:

• completion date of inspection

• result of inspection, for each compartment

• remarks

• coating inspector’s signature.

5.4 After finishing the coating application

5.4.1 Shipyard should compile the complete CTF andpresent it to the Classification Society and/or the Adminis-tration for review.

5.4.2 Specification of the coating system applied to thededicated seawater ballast tanks and double-side skinspaces, record of the shipyard's and shipowner's coatingwork, detailed criteria for coating selection, job specifica-tions, inspection, maintenance and repair shall be docu-mented in the Coating Technical File (CTF).

5.4.3 The Coating Technical File (CTF) contains at least thefollowing items related to the PSPC at new ship construc-tion stage:

a) Copy of Statement of Compliance or Type Approval Cer-tificate.

b) Copy of Technical Data Sheet, including:• product name and identification mark and/or num-

ber• materials, components and composition of the coat-

ing system, colours• minimum and maximum dry film thickness• application methods, tools and/or machines• condition of surface to be coated (de-rusting grade,

cleanliness and profile)• environmental limitations (temperature and humid-

ity).

c) Shipyard work records of coating application, including:

• applied actual space and area (in m2) of each com-partment

• applied coating system• time of coating, thickness and number of layers• ambient condition during coating• method of surface preparation.

d) Procedures for inspection and repair of coating systemduring ship construction.

e) Coating log issued by the coating inspector, stating thatthe coating was applied in accordance with the specifi-cations to the satisfaction of the coating supplier repre-sentative and specifying deviations from thespecifications.

f) Shipyard's verified inspection report, including:• completion date of inspection• result of inspection• remarks• coating inspector's signature.

g) Procedures for in-service maintenance and repair ofcoating system.

5.5 Verification procedure requirement

5.5.1 Check that the coating identification on representa-tive containers is consistent with the coating identified inthe Technical Data Sheet and Statement of Compliance orType Approval Certificate.

5.5.2 Check that the coating inspector's reports of surfacepreparation and coating application indicate compliancewith the manufacturer's Technical Data Sheet and State-ment of Compliance or Type Approval Certificate.

5.5.3 Monitoring:

a) Implementation of the coating inspection requirements,as called for in PSPC, section 7.5, means checking, on asampling basis, that inspection documents show that thecoating inspectors are using the equipment, techniquesand reporting methods as described in the agreed pro-cedure for inspection. The logs of the coating inspectorand relevant documentation describing the techniquesand equipment are to be submitted to the ClassificationSociety for this purpose, see [5.3.1].

b) Any deviations to item a) are to be raised initially withthe coating inspector, who is responsible for identifyingand implementing the corrective actions.

NI 531, Sec 3


c) In the event that corrective actions are not acceptable tothe Society or in the event that corrective actions are notclosed out then the shipyard shall be informed.

6 Procedure requirement for in-servicemaintenance

6.1 General

6.1.1 Procedures for in-service maintenance and repair ofcoating system should be prepared at new ship constructionstage.

6.1.2 In-service maintenance, repair and partial re-coatingactivities shall be recorded in the Coating Technical File.

6.1.3 If full re-coating is carried out, the requirement issame as the items specified in new ship construction stage,and reports shall be recorded in the Coating Technical File.

6.1.4 The Coating Technical File prepared by the shipyardis to be kept on board and maintained by the shipownerthroughout the life of the ship.

Table 3 : Inspection items

Construction stage

Inspection items

Primary surface preparation

1 The surface temperature of steel, the relative humidity and the dew point shall be measured and recorded before the blasting process starts and at times of sudden changes in weather.

2 The surface of steel plates shall be tested for soluble salt and checked for oil, grease and other contami-nation

3 The cleanliness of the steel surface shall be monitored in the shop primer application process.

4 The shop primer material shall be confirmed to meet the requirements in Tab 2Tab 1, item 3.

Thickness If compatibility with the main coating system has been declared, then the thickness and curing of the zinc silicate shop primer to be confirmed to the specified values.

Block assembly 1 After completing construction of the block and before secondary surface preparation starts, a visual inspection for steel surface treatment including edge treatment shall be carried out.Any oil, grease or other visible contamination to be removed.

2 After blasting/grinding/cleaning and prior to coating, a visual inspection of the prepared surface shall be carried out.On completion of blasting and cleaning and prior to the application of the first coat of the system, the steel surface shall be tested for levels of remaining soluble salts in at least one location per block.

3 The surface temperature, the relative humidity and the dew point shall be monitored and recorded dur-ing the coating application and curing.

4 Inspection to be performed of the steps in the coating application process mentioned in Tab 1Tab 2.

5 DFT measurements shall be taken to prove that the coating has been applied to the thickness as specified and outlined in annex 3 of the PSPC.

Erection 1 Visual inspection for steel surface condition, surface preparation and verification of conformance to other requirements in Tab 2, and the agreed specification to be performed.

2 The surface temperature, the relative humidity and the dew point shall be measured and recorded before coating starts and regularly during the coating process.

3 Inspection to be performed of the steps in the coating application process mentioned in Tab 1Tab 2.

NI 531, Sec 3
