Seoul: Lloyd's Register has certified the Korean Association of Coating Engineers (KACE) as the first institution qualified to train marine professionals to meet the requirements of the new Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC) for vessels.
The new requirements came into force in December 2006for tankers and bulk carriers being built to the Common Structural Rules (CSR). LR stated that the speed with which the new coating standard came into force left some shipbuilders fielding requests from owners to sign contracts for new vessels before they fully understood the impact of the PSPC on their production processes.
"The IMO PSPC shows us the important role coatings play in the fight against corrosion and in maintaining the structural integrity of a vessel, thereby improving safety," says LR Global Head of Materials and NDE, David Howarth. "Lloyd's Register places great emphasis on the inspection of coatings and the qualification of inspectors. It is important to recognise the tremendous contribution that training organisations such as KACE bring to the industry through training and education."
The certification is expected to give the institution an early advantage for courses offered to third-party coatings engineers in the industry The certified training offered by institutions, such as KACE, is expected to help the Korean shipbuilding industry to prepare for the new PSPC requirements. [29/03/07]
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