NACE International, the corrosion society, has released its widely anticipated training course for oversight of marine vessel coatings, NACE Coating Inspector Program (CIP) Level 2, maritime emphasis. The course was created in response to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (PSPC), and is the only coating inspector program specified by the IMO with an emphasis on coating inspection in marine vessels.

NACE International and its approved licensees will facilitate the marine-focused coating inspection certification program. CIP Level 2 is a 6-day training course featuring hands-on and classroom training, and focuses on the requirements related to hull, ballast tank, and marine vessel coatings, and inspection instrumentation specific to the maritime industry.

New IMO PSPC standards for marine coatings and inspection elevate the expectations owners have placed on the long-term durability and reliability of new vessels. According to forecasts and build orders for vessel construction, and given the number of inspectors required to inspect the coatings of those vessels, it is estimated that 8,500 inspectors are needed to fulfill the worldwide demand by 2012.