Everett Ship Repair LLC (ESR) purchased two new 40,000 psi ultra-high-pressure (UHP) water blasting systems. Both systems have been delivered to the shipyard and put into production. UHP water blasting is a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative to abrasive solid blasting material, yard officials said.
The two new 40,000 PIS water blasting systems are capable of standard surface preparation and specialty applications. The systems allow ESR to deploy up to four water blasters simultaneously in a wide variety of applications including internal tank hydro blasting for cleaning and coatings removal.
The UHP water blasting system minimizes labor and waste stream produced by traditional grit blasting. The system robot is capable and reduces the need for manlifts and scaffolding to access and remove coatings from a ship’s hull and other structures. And the robots have the additional benefit of reducing risk of injury and fatigue of personnel.
By using a UHP water blasting system ESR is reducing impact on the environment and the health and safety of personnel, yard officials said. Water blasting is an environmentally responsible process that produces no air pollution and creates significantly less waste disposal over solid grit blasting. When water blasting is performed, the water is reclaimed through a separation system and leaves an inert and non-hazardous sludge behind for disposal. Whereas sandblasting generates significant amounts of spent material consisting of paint-chips, silica, and potentially heavy metals. Additionally, the water blasting creates less noise compared to sandblasting and mechanical methods of coatings removal, ESR officials said.
ESR will also use the UHP system outside the shipyard. ESR is now offering surface prep services for removal of unwanted or contaminated surface materials. ESR will perform pipe cleaning, tank cleaning, and UHP surface preparation for marine and industrial customers.
With the addition of the UHP equipment, ESR is moving toward its goal of operating as a green environmentally conscious shipyard within the Pacific Northwest.
Everett Ship Repair is located at the Port of Everett (Wash.) and offers drydocking and in-water service to the vast marine industry along the West Coast and surrounding regions.
