Steelpaint GmbH, a German manufacturer of high-performance single-component polyurethane (MCPU) coatings, has completed a test coating on MUR Shipping’s 63,000-tonne bulk carrier African Bari Bird.
The project represents the first reference of the company’s advanced Stelpant system on an Indian-operated vessel and represents an important step forward in the company’s strategy to penetrate one of the world’s most active bulk transportation markets.
The paintwork was carried out at Zeme shipyard in China during a scheduled drydock in December, with trial coats applied to the forward cargo hatch, corrugated bulkhead, lower seat and tank top.
According to Li Yinlong, General Manager of Steelpaint China, MUR Shipping’s decision to pilot the Stelpant system reflects the sector-wide challenge of keeping cargo protected from the relentless cycle of corrosion and corrosion that traditional coatings struggle to withstand.
“The pre-docking inspection of cargo hold No. 3 recorded significant deterioration. The corrosion rates were about 30% on the hatch edges, 60% on the bulkheads, and 80% on the lower seat and top protection of the tank, and they were completely gone. The corrosion is 100% gone with pitting,” Lee said.
Before Stelpant was applied, all test areas were blasted to SA2 with a copper slag abrasive and washed with fresh water at 150 bar.
“The painting team at Zeme Shipyard, working with Steelpaint for the first time, handled the setup very well indeed,” Lee said. “Steel merchandise coatings do not require specific surface treatment and the yard was very impressed with the ease of applying the coating.”
An African Barry’s bird is trying on a steelbant’s coat
The MCPU applied to cavities and baffles includes a Stelpant-PU-Zinc red primer at 100µm DFT, followed by Stelpant-PU-Combination300 – a micaceous iron oxide topcoat – at 150µm DFT. The bottom benches and tank tops were coated with Stelpant-PU-Zinc at 125 µm DFT followed by gray Stelpant-PU-Zinc at 125 µm DFT.
Suspension #3 was back in service within 24 hours.
“Cargo hold maintenance is one of the most important ongoing costs for a bulk carrier operator,” said Frank Müller, Director of Steelpaint. “MUR wanted to put the Steelpant system through its paces, across the areas subject to the harshest sanctions.”
MUR Shipping’s fleet of 63 vessels carries metals, minerals, agricultural products and specialty project cargo, such as wind turbine components.
“Our first cargo booking experience with an India-operated bulk carrier represents a meaningful milestone for Steelpaint,” added Muller.
“It not only validates our technical approach in challenging offshore environments, but also gives us a real point of reference as we engage with Indian shipowners, yards and technical decision makers. Our goal is to support operators as they invest in fleet resilience and improved maintenance, in line with India’s expanding maritime infrastructure and growing trade.”
India’s maritime sector is witnessing transformational growth, with significant investment commitments and policy reforms aimed at modernizing ports, fleet capacity, shipbuilding and supply chains as part of the Indian government’s maritime vision.
Steelpaint’s Stelpant MCPU system is designed for highly corrosive environments and tolerates high humidity levels, with application possible at relative humidity levels up to 98%.
Unlike traditional multi-component epoxy systems, corrosion protection technology eliminates mixing variation and enables rapid overcoating, reducing the risk of downtime during tightly scheduled dry dock operations.
The first performance indicators are expected to appear within six months. This should be followed by a full evaluation across all areas of the trial during the year, with the typical next step being rollout across full-load ships before any fleet-wide rollout is considered.
Source: stillbent
