When a shipyard’s refit project needed to be lifted out to undertake remedial works ashore, Amsterdam Yacht Service proved to be the ideal choice – and as it turned out, not just for its yard facilities and location. The project in question involved a vessel originally constructed in the middle of the last century, but as the refit team peeled away the layers to address corrosion around the vessel’s steel rubbing strake, they uncovered a very specific, and very hazardous, problem – the presence of chromium-6 paint.
Chromium-6 – also known as chromium (VI) and chromium hexavalent – was often used as an additive in rust inhibiting paint on vessels, and particularly on hulls, but as a heavy metal it carries with it significant health risks particularly as a carcinogen. While its use has now been banned in the EU, it can still be found on older vessels. Like with asbestos, chromium-6 removal or remediation requires a strict procedure based on exhaustive safety protocols due to its toxicity. It is here that Amsterdam Yacht Service was able to step in and move from merely providing hardstanding and support facilities to active involvement in the refit ensuring the safe handling and removal of the chromium-6 paint.
“When the refit team removed the stainless steel rubbing strake due to corrosion issues, their due diligence uncovered chromium-6 paint, although it wasn’t applied when the vessel was originally built and it wasn’t found everywhere,” begins Robert Binnekade, managing director of Amsterdam Yacht Service. “So basically they asked us for help and we designed a working method and procedure to remove the paint based both on recommendations from the government and also from our own past experience.” Drawing on established procedures for the removal of asbestos, the AYS team devised a working procedure that they then shared with the local municipality for approval. Their solution covered two different methods, the first being removal using a hydro-jet, and the second through a grinding process. In each case, the team developed working procedures to ensure the chromium-6 residues were safely encapsulated, through vacuum extraction and storage by turns of the waste jet water and any airborne particulates. Further, the protocol included strict post-work procedures for both the workers and the equipment to ensure absolute safety and zero contamination.
“The hydro-jet method minimised the amount of chromium-6 paint or particulate matter created as it was held in the run-off water that we could easily extract,” says Binnekade. “Then when we switched to the grinding method – because the underlying metal wasn’t in a suitable condition to act as a substrate for the new paint system – we switched to a vacuum extraction system to mitigate and contain any airborne contaminants. Both methods include environmental isolation, a fully covered scissor lift that gets washed down every day, and a remote shower unit where all workers on the project can dispose of their coveralls, shower and essentially decontaminate,” he continues, “just as they would if working on asbestos removal or remediation.”
The project reinforces the diligence required when working on older vessels, as well as highlighting the skills and knowledge contained within the AYS team, which also has field test tools that can give an indication of whether chromium-6 paint is present. If it is, AYS clients can rest assured that the shipyard has the approved methods to deal with it safely and effectively – and those same methods can also be applied to any other untoward materials or coatings.
“This will not be the only vessel out there with chromium-6 or other problematic substances,” Binnekade concludes, “but rest assured the potential issues can be mitigated through experience and good working practice in removal or remediation – that’s where we can really help, and that’s another reason we draw clients from across the leisure, tourism, superyacht and commercial maritime sectors to our AYS shipyard.”
If you have a project where you suspect the presence of chromium-6 or other hazardous materials, reach out to the Amsterdam Yacht Service team at info@amsterdamyachtservice.com to find out how they can help.
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