Whether it’s bananas from Ecuador or technology and cars from the Far East – today, it has become part of daily business to transport goods and raw materials from all over the world across the globe. Ships play an important role in this – and have been doing so since the 15th century! At that time, the first major European powers opened up the sea route to import exotic luxury goods, such as gold, spices or silk from faraway countries. Even today, transport by sea is often safer and more efficient than by land or air. And what does WEICON have to do with this?
How important is shipping?
It is impossible to imagine global trade without merchant shipping. Raw materials, industrial and consumer goods are produced, grown and consumed in all parts of the world. Most of the global exchange of goods is transported by ship. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) states that around 90 percent of cross-border trade in goods is transported by sea, based on the weight of the goods transported. More than 50,000 ships from 150 nations are on the move worldwide.
Transport by ship is popular primarily because of the relatively low freight costs, progress in the field of logistics and the steadily increasing carrying capacity of ships. This means that even bulky and heavy cargo (e.g. liquid cargoes, such as oil or bulk cargoes, such as coal and gravel) can be conveniently shipped from A to B. By air, this would be unimaginable.
Repair and maintenance – two important success factors in marine industry
The shipped goods and raw materials are expected at the other end of the supply chain and are urgently needed for further processing, for example. If delivery times are extended or deliveries are even cancelled completely, this is not only frustrating but also economically damaging.
Reasons for annoying breakdowns and delays can include time-consuming repair work or waiting for spare parts. Even though seagoing and inland vessels are robust vehicles designed for a long service life, the special environmental conditions – wind, water and weather – put them under a lot of stress.
This is where fast repair solutions are needed to ensure that the supply chain does not have to be interrupted for too long and that shipping remains safe, efficient and environmentally friendly in the long term. Environmentally friendly? Yes, that’s right! Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role in the shipping industry.
Fast solutions: Shipping repairs with WEICON
Our WEICON products offer clever repair solutions for the marine industry that prevent long downtimes and the purchase of expensive spare parts. This is not only more economically efficient, but also more environmentally friendly in the long run.
We have prepared a few interesting repair examples from the shipping industry for you again!
1. problem: corrosion on the rudder steering shaft
A rudder steering shaft on an ocean-going vessel needed to be repaired for a customer in Poland. Over time, a layer of corrosion had formed on the shaft due to environmental influences.
Description:
- removal of the corrosion layer by grinding down the rudder steering column
- cleaning of the grinded steering column with WEICON Cleaner Spray S
- application of WEICON Ceramic BL to the steering column with permanent, slow rotation
- curing of WEICON Ceramic BL at eight hours of slow rotation
WEICON products
Advantages of the solution:
• durable, substance-resistant coating to protect against corrosion
• uncomplicated, fast, economical repair of the rudder steering column
2. problem: worn coatings
In Dubai, a total of six propellers on three ships were coated in the context of recertification.
Description:
- the propellers were coated with WEICON Ceramic BL to protect them against cavitation and fouling
- due to the technical properties of WEICON Ceramic BL, no imbalance occurs during propeller coating
WEICON products:
Advantages of the solution:
• avoidance of a cost-intensive new acquisition
• fast repair without long downtimes
3. problem: sediment deposition on a propeller shaft
Also in Dubai, the repair of a bronze propeller shaft, which had shrunk by about 5 mm due to sedimentation, was carried out.
Description:
- shaft was grinded down by 4 mm and in width by 200 mm
- cleaning with WEICON Cleaner Spray S
- production of a dam by using tapes (3 mm)
- application of WEICON BR while slowly rotating the shaft
- slow rotation of the shaft, also during curing, in order to prevent WEICON BR from dripping
- grinding down the shaft to size after curing
- sanding the shaft with fine abrasive cloth (approx. 0.2 mm)
- reassembly of the propeller shaft
WEICON products:
Advantages of the solution:
• avoidance of a cost-intensive new acquisition
• simple and time-saving repair
• good material compatibility and seawater resistance of WEICON BR
4. problem: cracks in ship engine cylinder block
In Turkey, cracks appeared on the cylinder block of a ship engine. To prevent crossover between the channels of the water and oil circuits, the cracks needed to be sealed.
Description:
- cleaning of the damaged areas with WEICON Cleaner Spray S
- sealing of cracks between oil and water circuit with WEICON Fast-Metal Minute Adhesive
WEICON products:
Advantages of the solution:
• temperature-, water- and oil-resistant repair solution
• no heat input during welding
• easy processing
5. Problem: damaged rubber coating on port fender
The fender of a port facility for cruise ships in Dubai had been badly damaged by several port maneuvers of big ships.
Description:
- removal of loose rubber pieces
- cleaning with WEICON Cleaner Spray S
- roughening of the damaged areas with sandpaper
- application of WEICON Primer G
- application of WEICON Urethane 85
WEICON products:
Advantages of the solution:
• the repair protects the internal steel plate from external influences
• prevention of corrosion
6. problem: cavitation damage on ship’s drive shaft
Cavitation caused damage to the drive shaft of a ship in Turkey, which had to be repaired and filled.
Description:
- filling of gaps with WEICON WR
- corrosion coating with WEICON Ceramic BL
- final coating for protection against marine animals with WEICON Urethane 80
WEICON products:
Advantages of the solution:
• avoidance of a cost-intensive new acquisition
• fast repair without long downtimes
WEICON for repairs in the shipping industry
As you can seee, with the help of our products, a wide variety of applications in the shipping industry can be carried out – and the cases listed above are only examples! Repairs for the marine industry must always be considered individually. Depending on the media and stresses to which the materials are exposed (seawater, intense heat, etc.), different products come into question for the repair.
In practice, solutions must be as individual as the repair cases themselves. As an experienced and reliable partner, WEICON stands by its customers in the shipping industry. We recommend products, explain and supervise their application – preferably directly on site at our customers’ premises!
Are you interested in upcycling in industry? Then this article about the possibilities of plastic metal might be a good fit for you. Or would you like to know how a pipeline in Ecuador was repaired? Then click here!
Written by guest author Lina Stoffer – working student public relations
