Discontinuation of production and sales of tar epoxy resin paints

CMP discontinued the production and sale of tar epoxy resin paints at the end of March 2006. Such a decision was one of the positive responses by CMP to the global environmental problems in the field of marine paints, and CMP continues taking positive approaches toward environmental issues.

Therefore, CMP recommends, as an alternative product, tar-free epoxy resin paint (NOVA series and BANNOH-500) already introduced and marketed together with the innovative coating system CIT-21 developed by CMP.

Background

The largest demand for tar epoxy resin paints in Japan comes from in the field of marine paints and its major applications are for water ballast tanks mainly due to its good economics and good anti-fouling performance.

These days, however, increasing concerns about environmental problems and new regulations enacted to follow up such concerns resulted in substantially reduced consumption of tar epoxy resin paints in Europe and the USA. By taking the improvement of the safety standard of painting works and the inspection efficiency inside tanks as major issues, SOLAS and its relevant rules, adopted by the MSC (Maritime Safety Committee) of IMO, recommended a light color to paint water ballast tanks of tankers and bulk carriers built on and after July 1998. For such reasons, Korea, a major ship building country like Japan, has converted mostly from dark colored tar epoxy resin paints to tar-free paints.

Currently, in order to rationalize the marine painting system, CMP recommends the innovative marine painting system CIT-21 (Chugoku Innovated Technology 21) to consolidate product lines and simplify painting specifications. To remove tars out of paints used for water ballast tanks in this system has been one of the major challenges CMP has taken up as one who cares about environmental issues, and has promoted stepwise tar-free initiatives.