Hamburg Terminals Choose Steelpaint's Innovative Corrosion Protection System for STS Crane Repairs
Steelpaint's Stelcatec, a groundbreaking low-VOC and isocyanate-free polyurethane coating system, is revolutionizing ship-to-shore (STS) crane maintenance in German container terminals.
Following ZPMC's approval in 2023, German container terminals in Hamburg, Bremerhaven, and Wilhelmshaven are adopting Steelpaint's Stelcatec to repair existing paintwork on their ZPMC STS cranes. This innovative coating system offers significant advantages over traditional two-component epoxies, leading to reduced downtime and maintenance costs.
Faster Repairs, Reduced Downtime
Traditional two-component epoxy applications can take weeks for an STS crane to return to service due to lengthy drying times and sensitivity to temperature variations. Stelcatec, on the other hand, can be applied and cured within a single working day, minimizing disruption to container loading and unloading operations.
"Taking a ship-to-shore crane out of commission costs the terminal money," explained Steelpaint Sales Director Frank Müller. "They wanted a ZPMC-approved one-component system that would eliminate mixing errors, reduce material waste, speed up the drying process, and reduce downtime."
Superior Performance and Durability
Stelcatec is a single-pack, moisture-curing polyurethane paint that is free of isocyanates and has a very low solvent content. It can be applied by brush, roller, or spray in temperatures ranging from -5°C to 50°C and environments with relative humidity as high as 98%.
This durable coating system meets ISO 12944 standards for 25 years of protection against C5 corrosivity category, offering rapid drying times and high dry film thickness (DFT) between 80 and 120µm.
"It is ideally suited for maintenance projects where time is of the essence," said Müller. "As Stelcatec can be applied 24/7, nighttime repairs are possible, reducing the time and costs associated with touch-up work."
Successful Trials and Growing Adoption
The decision to adopt Stelcatec followed successful patch testing on equipment operated by one of Europe's largest container terminal and logistics groups. These trials, along with subsequent testing by ZPMC, led to the original equipment manufacturer certifying Stelcatec for use on both existing and newbuild cranes.
Achim Wallat, Project Manager at Adamium, the company contracted to maintain the cranes, praised Stelcatec's performance and durability. "Terminal operators want an effective, reliable, and safe corrosion protection system capable of reducing maintenance costs and downtime," Wallat said. "Compared to two-component epoxies, Stelcatec-L is a very impressive, durable coating system that we now specify for all our crane refurbishment projects."
Steelpaint is currently conducting patch tests with terminal operators in Asia and anticipates receiving orders for full coat applications in the coming months.
