C

OATINGS

S

ince the move

away from trib-

utyltin (TBT) in

marine antifoul-

ings, paint manu-

facturers have

been keeping abreast of regulatory develop-

ments by working on alternative and new

technologies for their customers.

Consultancy firm Safinah Ltd

offers advice to paint

companies on

the whole

chain of activi-

ties that links

ships, structures,

coatings and the environment.

It provides expertise on areas such

as regulations, technology and

innovations and market

dynamics in the marine

coatings industry.

Over the last two years,

paint manufacturers have been faced with some tough

regulatory changes. The International Maritime

Organization (IMO) adopted a resolution calling for a

global ban on the application of organotin, of which

TBT is a component, which acts as a biocide in

antifouling systems on ships, by January 1, 2003, and

a complete prohibition by January 1, 2008. The

IMO’s antifouling convention will enter force 12

months after 25 states representing 25% of the world’s

merchant shipping tonnage have ratified it. As of

August 31, 12 states representing 8.72% of the

merchant shipping tonnage had ratified the conven-

tion.

The implications of the TBT fallout for the future

are uncertain, explains Dr Raouf Kattan, managing

director of Safinah. “Owners need to be careful to

select products that have regulatory approval and this

approval can be sustained. What [owners] do not

want to end up with is to put a product on and to find

out it is not approved in a particular country.”

On the back of the TBT ban, two base technolo-

gies have emerged – copper-based antifouling paints

and foul release systems, usually silicone-based.

The copper-based antifoulings reflect the old TBT

range, but use copper and approved booster biocides

and binders. “[Paint companies] have tried to replace

the old products with new products with similar

performance and similar usage so that they can offer

their existing clients [cruiseship operators] the

same range of products and pricing. The

LLOYD’S CRUISE INTERNATIONAL

October/November 2005

43

Cleaning up

an

ti-fo

u

lin

gs

Paint manufacturers are researching and launching

products to comply with new rules that will ban

organotin, writes Melanie Dayasena

Freedom of the Seas with

Jotun paints being applied

?