| Q1 |
Does  have any specific advantages over competitive tin-free products? |
| A1 |
This could be a long list:
- the only 5-year TBT free antifouling (AF) with proven performance during 20 years service
- 2-year shelf life - there are competitive products that barely manage 3 months
- only one formulation is needed for all areas on a vessel
- only one formulation is needed for all service conditions
- excellent adhesion to a wide range of surfaces minimizing surface preparation requirements
- compatible with co-polymer chlorinated rubber and vinyl AFs
- it performs well in both static and dynamic conditions
- it performs well in fresh, brackish and sea water
- no maximum time before recoating
- no maximum time before launching
- compatible over sealer coatings applied over TBT
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| Q2 |
But surely there are other TBT free AFs that provide 5 years performance? |
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A2 |
Well there might be, but no one knows for sure, because the materials are all new and largely untested in service. has a proven rack record and that is worth a lot. |
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| Q3 |
Surely a 3-month shelf-life is sufficient? |
| A3 |
No it really is not:
- AF can easily be in storage and transport for six months or longer before it reaches the customer
- sometimes it can be stored at the factory for a few months, transported and then stored again before transportation to the final destination, where it might once again be put into storage for a while
- even if it is delivered to the customer immediately after manufacture there is no room for even small delays in the construction schedule
The consequences of this are that the applicator may be forced into using material that is over its shelf-life, or the work will have to be delayed until fresh material can be delivered. Either scenario is likely to have serious financial consequences. Application of AF that is over its shelf-life may lead to early failure or application difficulties and the use of excessive thinner. Whatever happens it means there is a high probability of problems during application or failure in service and an earlier than planned dry-docking. |
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| Q4 |
Why is only one formulation needed for all areas on a vessel and all vessel speeds? |
| A4 |
The polishing rate of is less dependent on vessel speed than other self-polishing AFs. Only one formula is needed for vessels of all speeds and all flow rates around a hull. This is not the case with the current generation of self-polishing copper AFs and this has led to the confusion of many different formulations being available for different conditions. This means extra stocking management costs and introduces the probability of errors leading to reduced periods between dry-dockings. |
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| Q5 |
Why does one formulation work for all service conditions - high activity, low activity and in between? |
| A5 |
The binder's hydrophobic characteristics limit contact of the coating with seawater to a very thin surface layer. The erosion mechanism is via controlled via hydrolysis of the terpolymer. The fragments of hydrolyzed binder are washed away by the movement of water. This takes place on a microscopic scale and even tidal movement is enough to clean the surface. However the strength of the binder is such that the polishing rate is not greatly increased at high flow rates.
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| Q6 |
Why does have such excellent adhesion to a wide range of surfaces? |
| A6 |
This is a property imparted by the terpolymer binder.
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| Q7 |
Why does have no maximum time before recoating?
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| A7 |
This is another property imparted by the terpolymer binder. |
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| Q8 |
Why does have no maximum time before launching?
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| A8 |
The terpolymer binder contains components that are very resistant to UV-light and oxygen. The result is a film that is very resistant to atmospheric degradation. This is a tangible benefit as launching delays can and do occur due to the necessity of completing other repairs or maintenance that may have fallen behind schedule. In addition, by not having a maximum time before launching, only one formula is required for both new building and M&R. Thus the confusion caused by having to select from multiple formulas is avoided. |
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| Q9 |
Why does perform so well? |
| A9 |
The excellent performance of is achieved through the fine balance of properties imparted by the engineered terpolymer binder. This allows erosion of the coating via controlled hydrolysis of the terpolymer in contact with seawater. The hydrolyzed terpolymer fragments are washed away by the movement of seawater. The result is controlled polishing. This controlled polishing of the binder results in regulated delivery of the biocide package to the surface of the coating film for maximum fouling control over an extended period of time. |
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| Q10 |
Do you have a testimonial from a customer that confirms the good performance of ? |
| A10 |
Yes, Maritrans Operating Company L.P. uses and the Vice President, Operations/M&R, Mr. Peter G. Nielsen comments: "Maritrans has benefited greatly over the years by the use of Self Polishing AF with excellent service for up to five years. This high level of service being provided by a TBT free AF, without any major environmental impact has also greatly reduced our routine maintenance dry-docking costs. We are particularly pleased to know that we will be able to continue to use well into the future as it satisfies pending IMO restrictions regarding the use of antifouling coatings.
is also helping us to reduce overall painting costs associated with our on-going double hull conversion projects by reducing the degree of re-painting required with the new hulls. We are confident that our fleet's future operating costs will also benefit from this well proven technology." |
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| Q11 |
Is there is any other evidence that really achieves 5-year performance?
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| A11 |
Check out the references and case histories for this product on www..com. |
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| Q12 |
Competitors' sales staff are telling customers that has an inferior performance because it contains rosin. Why shouldn't I believe them? |
| A12 |
This is a sales argument sometimes made by companies that have had less success in engineering the proper balance of properties into a complex rosin-containing self-polishing binder. PPG's engineered terpolymer binder enables the positive characteristics imparted by rosin (like excellent adhesion and overcoatability) to be retained, while certain less desirable characteristics (UV damage, weak film and leach layer) are greatly minimized by the reinforcing action of the terpolymer. These companies may well be trying to eliminate competing products so they can sell new and unproven tin-free products at a very high price. Even if these eventually meet all expectations, Owners will have to hand out a great deal more cash than necessary for a 5-year service life.
The terpolymer binder developed for the ABC range was a quantum upgrade of the traditional rosin binder. An analogy could be the internal combustion engine. It was introduced around the time that rosin technology was introduced to antifoulings. Indy and Formula I cars still use exactly the same basic technology as the first automobiles, yet we don't equate them to a Model T because they work on a century old principle. The same analogy can be applied to and an original rosin containing AF. The binder is a highly engineered terpolymer. It was carefully developed to overcome the earlier problems with rosin. |
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| Q13 |
They say that rosin is sensitive to sunlight on boottops? |
| A13 |
This was a problem with old rosin based AFs. The terpolymer binder in is engineered to have a high UV resistance. |
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| Q14 |
They say that rosin based AFs form a leach layer that stops the AF working after a while? |
| A14 |
This was true of some old rosin based AFs, especially the contact leaching AFs where rosin was combined with non-water soluble binders like chlorinated rubber, vinyl or other resins that did not erode and thus formed thick leached layers.
The terpolymer binder in has both hydrophobic and hydrolyzing characteristics. The binder's hydrophobic characteristics limit contact of the coating with seawater to a very thin surface layer. The coating erodes via controlled hydrolysis of the terpolymer in contact with seawater. The hydrolyzed terpolymer residue or fragments are washed away by the movement of seawater. The result is controlled polishing. Unlike traditional rosin based AF, only an extremely thin spent or depleted layer remains. This can be clearly seen from the bright red color in the case history photographs taken after long service periods. |
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| Q15 |
Is there a problem topcoating competitor's tin containing self-polishing AFs? Is a seal coat required? |
| A15 |
IMO regulations require a seal coat to encapsulate TBT. Therefore, to limit the leaching of TBT containing AFs into the environment, Amercoat 771 should be used as a sealer.
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| Q16 |
They say that rosin is brittle and wears away easily? |
| A16 |
Once again this was the case for old rosin based AFs, but in the rosin is engineered into the terpolymer and is protected and strengthened by the other binder components. This is no longer an issue as the many case histories of 5-years service illustrate. |
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| Q17 |
is said to be easy to apply by brush roller or spray. |
| A17 |
That is correct. will not pull or cobweb like other TBT-free self-polishing AFs when applied by brush or roller. |
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| Q18 |
How can any AF be applied at surface temperatures as low as -18(C (-0(F) |
| A18 |
The terpolymer binder was developed so that drying will occur at low temperatures. Note though that the AF material itself must be at 5(C (41(F).
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| Q19 |
is said to be significantly less expensive that other high performance tin free AFs and yet it performs as well as the best and has a number of other cost reducing features. Why is this? |
| A19 |
Due to the very controlled release of biocides throughout the service life, the biocide loading is not more that actually needed and therefore it was possible to make a very cost-effective formulation that provided protection for the specified service life. Also has been available for 20 years. All the R&D costs have long since been recovered and manufacturing efficiency was maximized years ago. Only one formulation is required so we do not have to manufacture and inventory many different formulations for different purposes. |
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| Q20 |
If has been around for so long why isn't everyone using it? |
| A20 |
The product has been used on many hundreds of vessels and the US Navy is a good customer. Once customers start using they become repeat customers. These loyal customers will now be rewarded by the huge savings of not having to remove TBT from their vessels before 2008. However was introduced at a period, when the vast majority of the marine market had accepted the marketing position that TBT self-polishing AFs were the way to go. Only a relatively small proportion of the market was prepared to consider alternatives if they wanted top performance. Many were slow to take action, even when it had become clear that TBT would eventually be banned. |
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| Q21 |
What is the price benefit on a square meter basis?
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| A21 |
On a recent project, a direct comparison with a prominent competitor's 60-month TBT-free antifouling on the vertical sides of a vessel showed that the competitor's material was 76% more costly than . But this is only the tip of the iceberg. See Table 1 for other factors that influence dry docking costs. |
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