Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
This professional diploma offers complete training in protecting ship structures with paints and coatings. You will master surface preparation, the expert application of anti-corrosive paint systems and antifouling, coating inspection and the environmental rules that apply in shipyards, learning to choose the right coating for each area of the ship so that durability and vessel performance are optimized.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings?
This professional diploma focuses on the paint systems that protect ships, from the dry dock specification to the final inspection report. You will study corrosion in naval steel and the exposure zones of a ship, polymer chemistry, curing and resin types; surface preparation with blasting, water jetting, salt and profile measurement, dew point control and shop primers; the architecture of paint systems for the underwater hull, topsides, decks, ballast tanks under the IMO PSPC and cargo tanks of chemical and oil tankers; antifouling technologies, from self-polishing to foul release coatings, and the AFS Convention; airless spraying, stripe coating and application defects; coating inspection with WFT, DFT, adhesion and holiday testing; the interaction with cathodic protection; and VOC, safety, waste and cost estimation for painting projects.
What sets this diploma apart: a ship-specific approach organized around the real zones of a vessel, from the underwater hull to ballast and cargo tanks; detailed coverage of antifouling and its impact on hull resistance and fuel consumption; the point of view of the coating inspector, with instruments, test methods and release of areas; practical application know-how, from nozzle selection to stripe coats and confined-space curing; and a final assignment in which you prepare a coating maintenance plan for a fleet.
Program highlights
- Ship-specific systems: underwater hull, topsides, decks, ballast tanks and cargo tanks.
- Surface preparation: ISO 8501-1 grades, blasting, water jetting, salts and dew point control.
- Antifouling: self-polishing, silyl acrylate and foul release coatings under the AFS Convention.
- Application skills: airless spraying, pot life, stripe coating and defect prevention.
- Coating inspection: WFT, DFT, cross-hatch and pull-off adhesion and holiday detection.
- Project management: VOC, safety, waste, specifications, consumption and cost per square meter.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of corrosion and protection of marine surfaces
- 1.1. Electrochemical principles of corrosion in naval steel and alloys
- 1.2. Marine environmental factors: salinity, humidity, UV and temperature
- 1.3. Classification of ship exposure zones: underwater hull, topsides, tanks and deck
- 1.4. Polymer chemistry and curing mechanisms of marine paints
- 1.5. Mechanical properties of coatings: adhesion, flexibility and hardness
- 1.6. Resin types: epoxy, polyurethane, vinyl, alkyd and zinc silicate
- 1.7. International anti-corrosion standards (ISO 12944 and NACE/SSPC)
- 1.8. Corrosion mechanisms on ships
Preparation of ship surfaces
- 2.1. Pre-cleaning methods: degreasing, high-pressure water washing and solvents
- 2.2. Hand and power tool preparation (ISO 8501-1 grades St2/St3)
- 2.3. Dry abrasive blasting: abrasives, equipment and grades Sa 1 to Sa 3
- 2.4. Ultra-high pressure water jetting (hydroblasting, WJ grades)
- 2.5. Assessing anchor profile (roughness) and soluble salt contamination
- 2.6. Measuring ambient humidity, dew point and substrate temperature
- 2.7. Shop primers and temporary protection of steel
- 2.8. Surface preparation standards
Paint systems and anti-corrosion schemes
- 3.1. Architecture of a paint system: primer, intermediate coat and topcoat
- 3.2. Barrier, passivating and galvanic anti-corrosive coatings
- 3.3. Paints for the boot top and topsides: UV resistance and gloss retention
- 3.4. Protection of ballast tanks (IMO PSPC, Resolution MSC.215(82))
- 3.5. Paint schemes for cargo tanks on chemical and oil tankers
- 3.6. High-temperature coatings for exhaust lines and manifolds
- 3.7. Compatibility between coats and overcoating windows
- 3.8. Epoxy and polyurethane paints
Antifouling and underwater hull management
- 4.1. Biology of biofouling: micro-fouling (slime) and macro-fouling (barnacles, algae)
- 4.2. Impact of fouling on fuel consumption and hull resistance
- 4.3. Hard matrix, self-polishing (TBT-free) and silyl acrylate antifoulings
- 4.4. Low surface energy antifoulings (foul release coatings: fluoropolymers and silicones)
- 4.5. The IMO AFS Convention on the control of harmful anti-fouling systems
- 4.6. Choosing the antifouling scheme according to ship speed and operating profile
- 4.7. Inspection and maintenance of the underwater hull afloat and in dry dock
- 4.8. AFS rules on antifouling in practice
Application equipment and ship painting techniques
- 5.1. Safe operation of airless spray equipment
- 5.2. Conventional air spray, brushes and rollers for touch-up
- 5.3. Mixing, induction time, pot life and thinning of paints
- 5.4. Nozzle selection, working pressures and spray fans
- 5.5. Application in complex areas: weld seams, sharp edges and corners (stripe coat)
- 5.6. Application defects: sagging, orange peel, dry spray and blistering
- 5.7. Ventilation, climate control and curing in confined spaces (tanks and double bottoms)
- 5.8. Airless equipment and its maintenance
Coating quality control and inspection (QC/QA)
- 6.1. The role of the coating inspector (NACE/FROSIO/AMPP) in the shipyard
- 6.2. Inspection instruments: psychrometers, thermometers and moisture meters
- 6.3. Wet film thickness (WFT) measurement during application
- 6.4. Dry film thickness (DFT) measurement by non-destructive methods (SSPC-PA 2)
- 6.5. Adhesion tests: cross-hatch and pull-off
- 6.6. Detection of pores and discontinuities (holiday detection / spark test)
- 6.7. Preparing the inspection report, thickness map and release of areas
- 6.8. Thickness and adhesion measurement in practice
Cathodic protection and its interaction with coatings
- 7.1. Synergy between organic coatings and cathodic protection systems
- 7.2. Cathodic disbondment caused by overprotection
- 7.3. Integration with sacrificial anode systems (zinc, aluminum) on the hull
- 7.4. Monitoring coatings near impressed current (ICCP) anodes
- 7.5. Protection of propeller, rudder, sea chests and turbulent areas
- 7.6. Underwater inspection of coating and anode condition
- 7.7. Criteria for repairing the cathodic protection system in dry dock
- 7.8. Sacrificial anodes and their renewal
Safety, environment and management of painting projects
- 8.1. Management of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and environmental regulations
- 8.2. Safe handling of solvents, resins and abrasive blasting (dedicated PPE)
- 8.3. Prevention of fire and explosion and gas monitoring (LEL) in tanks
- 8.4. Management of hazardous waste: mill scale, spent abrasive, cans and solvents
- 8.5. Planning dry-dock painting work: specifications and tender documents
- 8.6. Estimating coverage, theoretical and real consumption and cost per square meter
- 8.7. Budget for a painting project
- 8.8. Preparing a comprehensive coating maintenance plan for a fleet
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Marine Paints and Coatings
In the maritime industry, in the protection and coating of ships and marine structures: shipyards, repair yards, shipowners, paint manufacturers and inspection companies.
It concentrates on paint and coating systems for ships, organized by ship zone, with specific attention to ballast and cargo tanks, antifouling and coating inspection, rather than covering corrosion engineering across all industries.
Yes. You will study ballast tank protection under Resolution MSC.215(82) and the AFS Convention on harmful anti-fouling systems, and how they affect the choice of coatings.
The diploma covers the knowledge and inspection methods used by coating inspectors. Personal inspector certification is granted separately by bodies such as AMPP or FROSIO.
It is fully online and flexible, with downloadable material and practical case studies drawn from the marine sector.
Through case studies on coating selection and failure diagnosis, inspection exercises, cost estimates and a final coating maintenance plan for a fleet.
It helps, but technical or engineering training is also a good starting point. The admission interview confirms that the program suits your profile.
A Navalis Institute professional diploma and the specifications, inspection reports and maintenance plan you prepare during the program.
More programs in Shipyard and finishes
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at naval engineers and architects, maintenance supervisors, paint and quality inspectors, shipowners, shipyard staff and paint suppliers, paint technicians and applicators, and technical or engineering graduates; technical training in painting, chemistry, materials engineering or similar, or demonstrable experience in painting and coatings, preferably in marine or industrial settings, is recommended, together with basic knowledge of corrosion, surface preparation and shipbuilding rules.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera and microphone for live sessions.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.