Hempel has introduced a new universal primer, Hempadur Quattro anticorrosive coating that is suitable for a wide range of surfaces and offers a year-round application window. It has been type-approved in accordance with IMO/PSPC rules for ballast tanks which call for 15-year protection.

Hempel’s fourth-generation universal primer, Hempadur Quattro has already been field-tested in South Korea. Results show that it can be applied in temperatures from 40°C to -10°C, and this wide range means it can be applied at any time of the year almost anywhere in the world, the company said. It also protects an extensive range of surfaces and structures, from ballast tanks and underwater hulls on vessels to offshore oil platforms and other structures. This combination of year-round application and universal coating can save customers time and money on anticorrosive protection. For example, coating a ship’s hull with a Hempadur Quattro specification instead of a standard coating mix can decrease application time by 24 hours at 0°C.

Hempadur Quattro also has a high solid content, so applying it to many areas of a structure or vessel limits the amount of VOCs released into the environment. Using Hempadur Quattro instead of a standard coating mix on the ballast tanks (250,000m²) of a large crude oil tanker, for example, can reduce VOCs by four tons or more.