PPG Industries’ protective and marine coatings (PMC) business received The Society of Protective Coatings (SSPC) 2015 Military Coatings Project Award of Excellence for the performance of AMERCOAT 235 primer, PSX 700SG polysiloxane topcoat and ABC 3 anti-fouling topcoat on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a 102,000-ton aircraft carrier that was refurbished in Norfolk, Virginia, last year.

The award is given annually by SSPC to recognize exceptional coatings work performed on U.S. military ships, structures or facilities.

Launched in 1975 and commissioned in 1977, the USS Eisenhower was stripped, recoated and returned to service during a 10-month project that began in November 2013. After removing the existing coating, general contractor and coatings applicator General Dynamics NASSCO-Earl Industries applied a two-coat epoxy-polysiloxane paint system consisting of Amercoat 235 primer and PSX 700SG coating to the freeboard and island surfaces of the vessel. The underwater hull, which totaled more than 200,000 square feet of surface area, was treated with Amercoat 235 primer and ABC 3 coating, a self-polishing, high-performance anti-fouling agent.

PPG and the general contractor also were recognized by SSPC for their ability to work through complications caused by bad weather and the scope of work required to return the USS Eisenhower to service.

After the ship was docked, the Norfolk area experienced an abnormally cold winter with several snowstorms and freezing temperatures, which impeded the contractor’s ability to prepare the surface area of the ship and apply the coatings. Also, significant structural repairs, upgrades and system modernizations took precedence over the preservation work being completed on the hull and island. Integrating the restoration activities with tradespeople’s work on other parts of the ship created challenges that forced PPG and the contractor to accelerate the schedule without sacrificing quality and safety standards.

PSX 700SG coating, which was specified to replace the original silicone-alkyd-based coating on the USS Eisenhower, offers unlimited recoatability for easy touch-up and maintenance in a color-stable LSA (low solar-absorbing), low-VOC (volatile organic compound) formulation, according to the company. The coating is isocyanate-free and combines superior abrasion resistance with wide cure-temperature flexibility and unique surface tension to minimize rust and dirt streaking.

Amercoat 235 multi-purpose epoxy coating provides exceptional corrosion protection when immersed in freshwater, saltwater and other corrosive environments. In addition to being surface-tolerant, self-priming and fast-to-recoat, Amercoat 235 coating reduces the cost of surface preparation by curing at temperatures as low as 0 F and by adhering to tight rust and damp surfaces.

With its tin-free formulation, ABC 3 anti-fouling coating by PPG features a binder formulation for controlled ablation rates and a smoothing action to help reduce drag. It is suitable for a wide range of operating environments and capable of maintaining its anti-fouling characteristics for up to 60 months.