The VOC manager has a simple user interface

that allows customised set up of the

background database and reporting formats,

and will record, analyse and report on VOC

emissions by product type, project, and

location. It also provides information about

paint consumption and other performance data

on the coating process.

Capturing data electronically and

continuously as coatings are used, the

technology provides VOC emissions reports

including volume/weight of paint used, weight

of VOC emitted or abated, percentage of VOCs

abated, by product type, location applied,

project/job, thus giving yards the ability to

evaluate and compare paint tenders for

environmental compliance, manage and reduce

waste, and provide them with the information

they need to develop a solvent reduction plan, a

notable example of a yard that has taken

advantage of the technology being National

Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in

the US.

NASSCO is located in one of the most

heavily environmentally regulated areas in the

world and is required to comply with both local

and national regulations regarding the

recording and reporting of VOC/HAPS

emissions. The VOC Manager software was

installed in the paint blast shop and is initially

being used to monitor the paint consumption

and VOC emissions from the two treatment

lines installed at the yard (these are critical

areas for the yard as they use relatively low

volume solids products).

Elsewhere, Safinah is applying its technical

expertise through contract engagements with a

number of naval clients in both the UK and the

US. In the UK contracts have included work

with VT Shipbuilding, through the Shipbuilders

and Shiprepairers Masterclass programme, to

assess the capability of the new facility to

manage the required coating process.

Responding to Ministry of Defence

requirements in the UK, Safinah has also

conducted paint failure analysis for a major

refit centre, and the company has also been

engaged for preliminary technical work on the

Future Carrier (CVF) project, including a

review of standards and issues relevant to the

proposed coating strategy.

Apart from supplying the VOC Manager to

NASSCO, in the US Safinah has also

participated in the National Shipbuilding

Research Program (NSRP) for the last five

years, and the company was invited to run a

seminar in the US for naval yards on

warranty/guarantee issues relating to naval

ships.

Work has also been carried out to support the

strategic development plans at the Naval Sea

Systems Command (NAVSEA), performing

benchmarking of coating activities within US

naval shipyards, and Safinah is currently

running two projects for the NSRP, working

with leading yards and NAVSEA, to look at

lessons learnt from ships in service and the use

of statistical tools to better manage the coating

process.

W

ARSHIP

T

ECHNOLOGY

M

AY

2005

27

NEWS

Safinah is engaged on preliminary technical

work on the coatings for the Royal Navy's Future

Carrier (CVF)

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