VT Halter Building New Blast and Paint Facility
VT Systems’ shipbuilding arm VT Halter Marine said it has begun construction of a new state of the art integrated blast and paint facility, effective April 17, 2017.
The new facility at VT Halter’s Pascagoula, Miss. shipyard will allow the complete indoor and environmentally controlled surface preparation and final painting of ship sections prior to final erection. Its “flow-thru” configuration will allow ship sections to be prepared, blasted and painted complete without having to be taken outside and ensuring particles from the facility are not released into the environment.
Designed for 24/7 operation in all weather conditions, the facility will accommodate ship sections as large as 105’ W x 80’ L x 40’ H and that weigh up to 500 tons each.
“In keeping with providing our customers with excellent facilities; the addition of this new facility will further enhance our capabilities and quality to be more efficient and competitive,” said Paul J. Albert, CEO.
The independent facility will consist of a large 304’ x 120’ main building with three side areas housing the preparation area, blast booth, small parts paint booth, large ship section paint booth, paint kitchen and dual independent grit recovery and cleaning areas. Located adjacent to the main building will be a 135’ x 50’ paint storage warehouse.
The facility will utilize 100 percent LED lighting to reduce energy demands, as well as reduce its carbon footprint.
The completion of the building, contracted to Quin-Co of Eight Mile, Ala., is expected by September 2017, with operational completion also expected in the early fall of 2017.
