Light colored ballast tank coatings are the result of the 1990s requirements from the
International Association of Classification Societies, IACS and later the International Maritime
Organization, IMO, of the United Nations To have more efficient inspection of the condition of the
ballast tanks in connection with the increased number of surveys which became necessary due to more
demanding rules and regulations.
Light colored ballast tank coatings replaced the black or dark brown coal tar epoxy coatings which were
generally accepted as being excellent coatings for the corrosion protection of ballast tanks. This
perception of the performance of coal tar epoxy coatings caused many interest groups, especially among
ship owners, to raise the question: “Will light colored coatings perform to the same level as coal tar
epoxy”?
Inspection of the ballast tanks of ships in service has convinced the authors that the service behavior of
light colored ballast tank coatings is at least as good as that of coal tar epoxy.
The inspection results for ballast tank coatings are discussed in this paper. Typical failure causes are
shown by examples. Dry film thickness distribution patterns and their characteristics are demonstrated.