What is HoldBlock, and why is it better than Limewash?

Dry bulk carriers are responsible for transporting millions of metric tons of cargo every year. Keeping ships in good condition and ready to go as necessary is crucial to success. Much of the cargo can be corrosive and/or greasy, like sulfur, salt and green delayed petcoke. These loads present their own unique challenges. Crews need to be able to clean and maintain the integrity of the cargo holds to keep turnaround times and repairs to a minimum.

The best way to deal with corrosive or greasy materials is to apply a protective barrier. Limewash used to be the preferred cargo hold barrier but has since been proven to do very poorly, particularly with cargos like sulfur. Sulfur prills will push through the softened lime and come in contact with the steel of the cargo hold. Once this happens, serious corrosion damage occurs, resulting in costly repairs and delays.

There is now a better way to deal with aggressive dry cargos. Today’s crews use a specially formulated marine barrier called RBM HoldBlock®. It works by creating a thin, flexible coating between the ship’s steel and the cargo. This protective film is 18x more effective than lime wash. You can see for yourself: here are images from an independent laboratory showing the corrosive effects of sulfur on unprotected steel, steel coated with limewash, and steel protected with RBM HoldBlock®.

Besides providing superior cargo hold barrier protection, RBM HoldBlock® is non-harmful, safe to use in occupied/covered areas and can be easily applied by the ship’s crew. Plus it is quickly removed with RBM HoldWash-HD®, for a fast turnaround time.

RBM Hold Solutions's products are available in ports around the world. If you have any questions or concerns about our products or services, or need help with your order, we’d love to hear from you.