There’s a lot to be considered when building a ship — whether it’s a passenger ship, a container ship, or one that will be used for military or as an offshore platform. You have to consider durability, energy savings, and crew and passenger comfort. To help you tick all these boxes, remember that your choice of Ship insulation matters. This article discusses why.
Thermal insulation. Thermal barriers help reduce heat transfer between the insulated substrates and the outside environment. And two of their biggest benefits are enjoying significant energy savings and maintaining interior comfort. They’re especially important if you have high-temperature equipment in your vessel. Apart from maintaining ideal temperature levels inside the equipment, you can protect crew members who are tasked to handle them.
Anti-corrosion. Ship insulation solutions today don’t just act as a thermal barrier. They are also engineered to keep corrosion at bay. By hindering moisture, water, oxygen, and other corrosion-inducing elements from coming into contact with the surface you’re insulating, you will prevent your ship components from rusting and getting damaged over time. This will translate to big savings on repair and replacement.
Reduced noise and vibration. When the mechanical components of your ship are being operated, they produce vibrations and certain levels of noise. These sounds can be unpleasant for both your crew and passengers. They can also affect the performance of your personnel. So dampening them is something you should consider when building your vessel and choosing an insulating material for it. Your coatings should have soundproofing properties to minimize these distracting and uncomfortable sounds.
Lightweightedness. In the maritime industry, the weight of water vessels critically matters. If you’re not careful with your insulation choice, you can add significant weight to your watercraft. If you don’t want to make your ship bulkier, choose a lightweight yet high-performing material.
Environmental friendliness. Sustainability is a movement that affects almost every industry — including the shipbuilding sector. And one way you can be more eco-friendly when building your ship is by opting for an environmentally friendly coating system. This way, you can maintain a proper indoor climate, improve sound protection, and preserve your vessel’s structural integrity without leaving significant damage to the environment.
Versatility of application. Ships have various components that are irregularly shaped. Some areas are also difficult to access. Insulating these sections with conventional ship insulating materials can prove to be challenging. Hence, you have to look for an alternative that does the job efficiently. In the market, you can avail of spray-on coatings that can be easily applied on just about any substrate — notwithstanding its shape, accessibility, and location (e.g., whether the surface will be constantly exposed to weather elements or not). This fast and versatile kind of application will also help you reduce labor and construction expenses.
Ease of maintenance. When constructing a vessel, also keep in mind how easy it will be to maintain your ship insulation material. If it’s tedious to maintain, you’ll suffer from frequent and more expensive cleaning and repairing.