Since 1991, testing of ballast tank coatings based on a simulated ballast tank, a seawater cycle test and a condensation chamber test has been carried out. More than 70 coating systems have been tested on different substrates and classified according to a developed procedure. The test results show that only 3 paints out of 25 tested on prerusted substrates got the best classification. These 3 paints were all surface tolerant epoxies. On zinc-shop prirned or blast cleaned steel, 25 out of 36 paints tested got the best classification.
Keywords: Ballast tanks, coatings, corrosion, testing, classification.