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Overview
Project
Surface-preparation and coating removal on external hull structures of a 40-year-old drydock.
Location
Valparaíso, Chile
Customer
SOCIBER, a leading Chilean shipyard specializing in vessel repair and maintenance.
Distributor
C&D Group, Chile
Task
SOCIBER’s major 40-year drydock refurbishment required blasting off coatings up to 1,300 microns, treating heavy corrosion, and keeping dust low while improving operator safety in a confined shipyard. With growing pressure in Chile to move away from copper slag due to slow productivity, high consumption, large waste volumes, and dust/contaminant concerns, they needed a cleaner, safer, more efficient blasting solution.
Challenge
SOCIBER needed to blast and repaint their drydock as part of a major 40-year refurbishment. The project involved:
- Removing thick coatings up to 1,300 microns
- Treating significant corrosion
- Reducing dust levels in a confined shipyard environment
- Improving operator safety
- Addressing growing environmental pressure in Chile to move away from copper slag, which produces heavy dust and large waste volumes
Copper slag posed multiple issues:
- Slow productivity
- High abrasive consumption
- Large disposal volumes
- Environmental concerns around dust and contaminants
SOCIBER required a cleaner, safer, and more efficient blasting solution.
Test Details
GMA technical specialists and C&D Group Chile conducted an onsite abrasive trial at SOCIBER’s facilities to evaluate:
- Productivity under real working conditions
- Abrasive consumption
- Dust behaviour and visibility
- Operator safety
- Environmental alignment
The team worked closely with SOCIBER supervisors and operators to adjust equipment, nozzles, and blasting setup for optimal performance.
Engineered for high performance in demanding coating removal jobs.
140%
Faster Blasting
28%
Savings per day
89%
Less Abrasive
Using GMA ToughBlastTM
Once the correct setup was established, GMA Garnet™ delivered:
- Higher productivity
- Significantly reduced abrasive consumption
- Lower waste volumes
- Cleaner, safer blasting conditions
Cleaner, Safer Working Environment
Operators reported:
- “Dust pollution is almost zero”
- Improved visibility
- Reduced exposure risks
- A more controlled blast process
With Chile actively encouraging shipyards to reduce reliance on copper slag due to dust and contamination concerns, the trial demonstrated a clear pathway toward more sustainable operations.
“Garnet has been an ecological solution and has led to excellent results. The drydock is 40 years old, and the product achieved an excellent cleaning standard. Dust pollution is almost zero, and the most important thing is caring for our personnel.”
SOCIBER Representative
Summary
Working closely with C&D Group Chile, GMA supported SOCIBER in achieving:
- Faster project completion
- Dramatically reduced abrasive waste
- Cleaner, safer onsite conditions
- Improved alignment with environmental guidelines
- A successful refurbishment of their 40-year-old drydock
GMA Garnet™ helped SOCIBER move toward a more sustainable surface-preparation approach while maintaining high operational performance.