Subsea Industries have announced that the Océan Taiga, North America’s most powerful ice-going tug, will feature the Ecospeed coating system. The vessel is owned by Groupe Océan, who already use the hard coating on nine of their other vessels.
Groupe Océan’s first experience with this coating on the Ocean Raymond Lemay was deemed a huge success. When the vessel’s hull was water-jet cleaned this summer after more than 60 months in service, the hull coating showed no sign of paint degradation.
Manuel Hof, Production Executive and NACE Coatings Inspector at Subsea Industries, added: “Groupe Océan’s vessels operate in highly abrasive waters in ecologically sensitive areas, so it was important for the owner to have a hull coating system that protects both the vessel and the marine environment.”
Outlining the importance of the Canadian market for Ecospeed, Manuel Hof said: “With many vessels operating in icy areas, such as the Great Lakes, Alaska and the northwest passage, the Ecospeed hard coating is becoming the hull coating of choice meeting stringent environmental rules and regulations.”