Coating Below the Surface: How ALOCIT Bonds Directly to Wet Steel

Coating a wet or submerged steel surface has long been considered a daunting challenge in corrosion protection. Traditional paints and epoxies typically demand a completely dry, clean substrate; otherwise, they struggle to adhere and often fail. This poses a serious problem in places like Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC region, where oil & gas facilities and marine infrastructure constantly battle corrosion on wet steel surfaces exposed to seawater, humidity, or condensation. ALOCIT is a breakthrough coating technology that tackles this challenge head-on by bonding directly to wet steel (even underwater), turning what used to be an impossible task into a practical maintenance solution. In this article, we explore why coating wet steel is difficult, how ALOCIT works to overcome these difficulties, and its applications and benefits for GCC industries – especially in Saudi Arabia’s oil, gas, and marine sectors.

The Challenge of Coating Wet Steel Surfaces

Protective coatings are most effective when applied to dry, prepared steel. Any moisture on the metal surface typically prevents conventional coatings from sticking properly. Water or dampness acts as a barrier, and a normal epoxy or paint will blister, peel, or simply not adhere if applied to a wet substrate. For example, engineers found that heavy condensation on chilled pipelines made re-coating impossible with any standard coating; the moisture would cause immediate failure. Normally, the only solutions are to dry the surface (often by expensive measures like building cofferdams, dewatering, or waiting for ideal weather) or to shut down operations to create dry conditions.

In the GCC region, this challenge is very common. Offshore platforms in the Arabian Gulf have critical steel components that are constantly splashed by seawater. Storage tanks and piping can “sweat” with condensation in humid coastal air or when carrying cold fluids, as seen in a famous case of sweating gas pipeline where joints under insulation corroded due to moisture. Ships and port structures face marine growth and saltwater on their hulls and pilings. In all these cases, trying to apply a normal coating on a wet, salt-coated, or humid steel surface would usually end in failure – unless one resorts to extensive drying or costly downtime like dry-docking a ship. The inability of conventional coatings to bond in wet conditions has historically meant higher maintenance costs and compromised asset integrity.

Visible corrosion on a ship's hull shows significant rust damage and deterioration of protective coatings, highlighting the need for maintenance to prevent further decay.

ALOCIT: A Coating Technology for Wet and Underwater Conditions

ALOCIT is a revolutionary epoxy coating system engineered specifically to adhere to wet, damp, or even oily surfaces – including fully underwater steel and concrete. Developed in Switzerland in the mid-1960s, ALOCIT has decades of proven performance and has been used by demanding clients worldwide (it’s even been specified by the UK Ministry of Defence and approved by the Dutch Rijkswaterstaat). What makes ALOCIT unique is its ability to consistently bond to substrates that are wet or underwater, a property virtually unheard of in standard coatings. In fact, it has “unique and exceptional qualities” that allow it to adhere strongly on damp, wet, oily, and underwater substrates, enabling application in harsh, water-exposed environments where others fail.

Technically, ALOCIT is a two-component 100% solid epoxy – solvent-free and VOC-free – which means it doesn’t rely on solvent evaporation to cure. It will cure underwater or on wet surfaces by chemical reaction, forming a tough polymer coating that actually displaces water at the interface. This property lets it push aside moisture or even oil contamination and directly bond to the steel substrate. The result is a coating that can be applied by brush or spray on wet steel and still achieve high adhesion. In fact, ALOCIT demonstrates adhesive pull-off strengths on wet steel comparable to coatings applied under ideal dry conditions. In one series of tests, it achieved 1,500–2,000 psi adhesion on wet, previously coated steel prepared to Sa2.5 (near white metal) – all failures occurred in the tester’s glue, not in the ALOCIT coating itself. Records even show ALOCIT-coated structures lasting more than 30 years in service without failure.

Another reason ALOCIT works where others don’t is its emphasis on surface preparation profile over dryness. As long as the steel is properly cleaned of loose rust or marine growth and given a rough profile (for example, via wet grit-blasting or water-jetting), ALOCIT will grip tenaciously to the wet surface. There’s no need to fully dry the substrate – you can blast clean a steel surface and coat it immediately while it’s still wet, without affecting adhesion. This was proven in practice on a Single Buoy Mooring project, where using a water-blast plus ALOCIT method allowed the coating crew to skip the drying stage; Shell engineers observed a 50% time savings on that project by coating right after hydro blasting, with no delay for drying. Clearly, ALOCIT’s chemistry is designed for extreme surface tolerance – it’s formulated to “drive away” moisture and even oil, chemically bonding to the underlying steel or concrete and sealing it against corrosion.

Equally important, ALOCIT is environmentally friendly. It contains zero volatile organic compounds (0% VOC) and no solvents or heavy metals. This makes it safe to use in confined spaces and in sensitive marine environments – a key consideration for GCC projects near coral reefs or fishing areas. (In one offshore platform job, ALOCIT was chosen in part for its long-term track record in environmentally sensitive marine zones.) The coating’s lack of solvent also means there’s no risk of solvent entrapment or toxic leaching into seawater during application. ALOCIT’s tough epoxy matrix resists chemical attack and is designed to withstand problems like MIC (Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion) and ALWC (Accelerated Low-Water Corrosion) that often plague marine structures. In short, ALOCIT provides a durable, hard-wearing barrier against corrosion in the very conditions that defeat ordinary coatings.

Underwater view of robust support columns of a concrete structure, engineered for stability and resilience against the forces of the sea.

Real-World Applications in Oil & Gas and Marine Industries (GCC Focus)

ALOCIT’s wet-bonding capabilities have been proven on projects around the world, and they are particularly relevant to the GCC’s oil & gas and marine industries. The Middle East is home to massive offshore oil platforms, refineries, petrochemical plants, ports, and ships – all of which contend with corrosive saltwater, high humidity, and operational challenges that can leave steel surfaces wet or oily. Traditional coating methods in these industries often require extensive downtime: for instance, taking a rig component out of service to dry it, or dry-docking a vessel for hull repairs. ALOCIT offers a game-changing alternative by allowing in-situ coating in wet conditions, thereby minimizing disruption.

In the oil and gas sector, consider offshore platforms and rigs operated by companies like Saudi Aramco in the Arabian Gulf. These structures have critical steel legs, risers, and bracings in the splash zone (the area around the waterline that is repeatedly wet and dry with waves) where corrosion is aggressive. Normally, repairing a coating in the splash zone would be difficult without stopping operations. However, ALOCIT has been successfully used on an offshore gas platform to re-coat splash-zone steel underwater, without any impact on platform operations. In that case, divers grit-blasted the affected areas underwater to create a profile, and then applied ALOCIT 28.15 epoxy by hand brush directly onto the wet steel – achieving full coverage and sealing the steel against further corrosion. The outcome was a durable repair with an expected 10–15 year life in service, all completed in a single day and without shutting down the facility. This illustrates how GCC offshore assets can benefit: maintenance can be done on-site, underwater, quickly, and effectively.

Onshore oil facilities can benefit as well. Pipelines and storage tanks in Saudi Arabia often face issues like coating breakdown under insulation or in moist soil. ALOCIT has been used on “sweating” chilled water pipelines where constant condensation defeated normal paints – technicians simply brushed ALOCIT onto the dripping-wet steel, and it cured to form a protective shield. In refinery containment areas, where concrete or steel surfaces may be contaminated with oils, ALOCIT’s oil-tolerant formulation can seal and protect without needing total decontamination. In fact, even oil-soaked concrete bund walls have been successfully sealed by ALOCIT, whereas previously the only solution was costly reconstruction. This is a big plus for GCC refineries and petrochemical plants focusing on asset integrity and environmental protection.

In the marine industry, ALOCIT’s track record is just as impressive. Port authorities and shipyards around the world have used it for coating steel piles, wharfs, and jetties exposed to the sea. From New York Harbor to seaports in Southeast Asia, ALOCIT has become the go-to solution for coating piers and sheet piles in the tidal zone. Rather than driving new piles or attempting temporary cofferdams to dry the old ones, maintenance crews can hydro-blast the marine growth off the existing submerged steel and apply ALOCIT directly on the wet metal. The coating’s superior adhesion ensures it stays put even below water, and it has been documented to last for decades in such conditions. For example, in one large Asian port expansion, over 40,000 m² of steel and concrete piles were coated with ALOCIT to protect them during land reclamation. If we translate these successes to the GCC context – think of major ports like Jeddah, Dammam, or Dubai – the same approach could save millions by extending the life of harbor structures without major overhauls.

Even ships and offshore vessels stand to gain. ALOCIT’s slogan “No More Dry Docking – Time to Save Money” aptly describes its value for maritime operators. Minor hull repairs or thruster tunnel coatings could potentially be done while a vessel is at anchorage, using divers, instead of scheduling an emergency drydock. Additionally, because ALOCIT is 100% solvent-free, it can be applied safely in enclosed ballast tanks or damp void spaces on ships without ventilation concerns. It’s telling that numerous navies (including the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy) have tested and approved ALOCIT for their ships. The Saudi Arabian Navy and regional marine authorities would likewise appreciate a coating that meets military-grade performance and environmental safety for their fleets and coastal facilities.

Finally, it’s worth noting that ALOCIT’s versatility means other GCC industries can benefit as well. Utilities and water treatment plants can use it to line wet concrete tanks and pits (one wastewater plant reported an ALOCIT lining still going strong after 30 years!). Mining or infrastructure projects facing groundwater can use it to coat damp tunnels or foundations. From offshore drilling to onshore pipelines and utilities, ALOCIT provides a reliable solution whenever moisture, oil, or weather prevent the use of conventional coatings.

A deep-sea diver in professional gear works underwater with specialized equipment, amidst bubbles and currents, illustrating the challenges and expertise required for underwater operations like application of Alocit.

Key Benefits of ALOCIT for Wet Steel Coating

To summarize, below are some of the key benefits that make ALOCIT an attractive coating solution for wet steel applications, especially in Saudi Arabia and the GCC:

• Bonds to Wet and Oily Surfaces: Adheres strongly even on damp, wet, or oil-contaminated steel, where standard coatings would fail. This unique surface tolerance allows maintenance in conditions that normally halt coating work.

• Underwater Application: Can be applied and fully cured underwater – no need to dry the surface or dewater the structure first. Divers have successfully brushed ALOCIT onto underwater steel at depths of up to 30+ meters, eliminating the need for costly cofferdams or dry-docking.

• Superior Adhesion Strength: Achieves very high adhesion (over 16 MPa or ~2370 psi pull-off strength) even on wet-prepared substrates. In practice, the coating often sticks so well that in adhesion tests the failure occurs in the testing glue or underlying old paint, not in the ALOCIT layer.

• Long-Term Durability: Provides long-lasting corrosion protection – documented in service for 30+ years in harsh environments. The hard-wearing epoxy film resists abrasion and chemical attack, extending maintenance intervals for offshore platforms, ships, and industrial facilities.

• All-Weather and All-Conditions Use: Performs in fresh or salt water, cold or hot climates. ALOCIT can cure in temperatures as low as 2 °C (useful for colder regions or winter jobs) and of course in the high temperatures typical of GCC summers once applied. Its resistance to MIC and ALWC makes it ideal for the warm, saline waters of the Gulf, where microbes and accelerated corrosion at the tide line are a constant threat.

• Environmentally Friendly & Worker Safe: The coating is 100% solids, solvent-free and VOC-free, containing no harmful volatiles. This means no toxic fumes during application (important for confined spaces and worker safety) and no pollution of surrounding water. ALOCIT has been used in environmentally sensitive projects (even near marine life habitats) with confidence, and it meets strict standards set by organizations like DNV and the U.S. Navy.

• Reduced Downtime and Cost Savings: Perhaps most appealing to asset owners, ALOCIT’s ability to be applied in less-than-ideal conditions translates to significant savings in project time and cost. Maintenance crews can coat immediately after surface prep, even if the surface is still wet, which speeds up turnaround. For example, engineers reported up to 50% time savings on a waterblasted steel project by using ALOCIT instead of waiting for the steel to dry. Avoiding shutdowns – such as keeping a dock operational or an offshore platform in service while repairs are done – can save millions in operational costs.

  
  

A professional diver Applying Alocit under water.

Conclusion

For the GCC’s industries, where corrosion never sleeps and downtime is expensive, ALOCIT offers an innovative yet field-proven solution. It combines the best of both worlds: advanced technical performance (a coating that literally bonds to wet steel and cures underwater) and practical real-world benefits (faster maintenance, longer asset life, and environmental safety). This dual nature makes the tone of ALOCIT both informative – as a case study in materials science – and promotional, as a game-changing product that asset owners in Saudi Arabia and beyond would want to adopt.

Saudi Arabia’s oil & gas sector and marine operators are increasingly looking towards such advanced coatings to protect critical infrastructure. With ALOCIT already trusted by leading companies and naval forces globally (clients range from Saudi Aramco to Chevron and the US Navy among others), its reputation is well established. The technology has shown that even in the harshest marine conditions, from offshore platforms to underwater pipelines, there is a reliable way to coat below the surface without compromise.

In summary, ALOCIT’s ability to bond directly to wet steel is more than just a technical feat – it’s a transformative approach for asset integrity management in the GCC. By eliminating the traditional constraints of dry-only application, ALOCIT enables continuous protection against corrosion in wet environments, saving time, money, and extending the life of valuable infrastructure. In the battle against corrosion under extreme conditions, ALOCIT has proven to be a formidable ally, ensuring that even beneath the waves or under dripping pipes, Saudi Arabia’s steel assets can stay safe, coated, and corrosion-free for years to come.