Marine shrink-wrap for efficient refit of Type 23 frigates
Project – HMS Kent Frigate
Purpose – Encapsulate scaffold to contain blasting and painting works
Client – Babcock
Product – Tufcoat Flame retardant 300μm scaffold shrink-wrap
Marine shrink‑wrap for naval containment project
Works on HMS Kent follow on from HMS Argyll, HMS Lancaster and HMS Northumberland, formed part of the Life Extension (LIFEX) upkeep for Type 23 frigates – an extensive programme of capability update and upgrade developed and coordinated through the Surface Ship Support Alliance (the MoD, Babcock and BAE Systems).
Using marine shrink-wrap, Tufcoat completed the final containment on HMS Kent, the hull to dockside lay‑down, marking the end of a six‑month schedule of works in Devonport Dockyard for main client Babcock delivering the LIFEX programme to the MoD. At the heart of the containment phase was the specification and use of marine shrink‑wrap, critical to ensuring environmental control, surface preparation quality and safety standards.
What is marine shrink-wrap containment?
Marine shrink‑wrap containment is a system of heavy‑duty plastic sheeting, heat‑shrinkable fabrics and supporting framework used to fully or partially enclose sections of a ship during maintenance, repair or upgrade. The wrap is applied tightly around scaffolded structures, over decks, masts, rudders or exhausts, and then the material is heat‑shrunk to form a sealed enclosure. The main purpose is to contain abrasive blasting, paint overspray, dust, chemical run‑off, and fumes, preventing contamination of the surrounding environment, protecting workers and ensuring high quality surface preparation.
Marine shrink-wrap on HMS Kent
On HMS Kent, marine shrink-wrap containments were installed on multiple parts of the vessel, with sections specifically tailored for:
- Hull, Forward, Middle & After Blocks
- Winch Well & Toll Tail
- Main Mast, Flight Deck, Exhaust and Rudders
These sections were split up to ensure that each area could be accessed appropriately by scaffolders, blasting personnel and painting teams, while still maintaining full containment. Each enclosure required specific design, materials and support to accommodate the geometry of the ship, access points and operational safety.
The process: survey, design, installation
Achieving a successful marine shrink-wrap containment depends on multiple interlinked stages:
- Initial Walk‑Rounds and Surveys Our account teams carried out detailed surveys of scaffold structures, noting points where extraction units, scaffold amendments, or irregular ship geometry might interfere with shrink‑wrap installation. These surveys informed the design of custom sections and helped estimate quantities and materials accurately.
- Client Liaison and Account Management From pricing to scheduling, client communication was central. Because marine shrink-wrap must integrate cleanly with scaffold and blasting workflows, any change on site (e.g. a scaffold modification or repositioning of extraction vents) must feed back immediately into wrap design and procurement. Our account management team acted as liaison between Tufcoat, Actavo, Babcock and subcontractors.
- Installation, Heat Shrink Application & Sealing Once scaffold and access are in place, the marine shrink‑wrap material is fixed and heat‑shrunk. This creates tight seals around structural interfaces and access apertures. Special consideration is given to exposures such as exhaust outlets, rudders and masts, where high temperatures or complex shapes exist. Safety seals, overlaps and reinforcements help maintain integrity under harsh dock‑yard conditions.
- Coordinating with Blasting & Painting Teams marine shrink-wrap would not be effective without close coordination. The blasting teams rely on containment to prevent environmental spill or cross‑contamination; painting teams depend on clean, dry, enclosed spaces. Adjustments are often required on site: cutting in access flaps, re‑routing extraction ducting, modifying scaffold. Our teams mobilised quickly to adapt marine shrink-wrap enclosures to these evolving needs.
Why marine shrink‐wrap is essential for LIFEX programme
The Type 23 frigate life‑extension (LIFEX) programme is demanding: it must extend service life, address equipment obsolescence, update capabilities, and ensure the hull and superstructure are preserved to extremely high standards. Marine shrink‑wrap is essential because:
- Environmental Compliance & Safety – Dust, blasting media, paint overspray and solvents are contained, preventing pollutants entering dock water or air. This protects personnel and meets strict regulation.
- Quality of Surface Preparation & Coating Life – Proper blast profile, full removal of corrosion or old paint relies upon containment that prevents recontamination. Marine shrink‑wrap enables better control of ambient conditions (humidity, dust) which improves paint adhesion and finish.
- Operational Efficiency & Cost Control – Rather than building permanent enclosures, using marine shrink‑wrap allows modular, swiftly installable containment. When layouts or scaffold change, marine shrink‑wrap installations can be adapted quickly, keeping downtime minimal.
- Scalability – Marine shrink‑wrap works both for small sections (e.g. exhausts, rudders) and large areas (full hull blocks), meaning it scales with the complexity of the refit.
Lessons from HMS Kent
- Adaptability is Key: Throughout the HMS Kent project, marine shrink‑wrap designs had to adapt to on‑site changes like scaffold modifications or extraction ducting. Having teams ready to adjust and re‑seal sections is vital.
- Communication across Departments: Installation, blasting, painting, scaffold, account management — all must talk to each other. When marine shrink‑wrap is properly integrated into this chain, issues are flagged before they become costly interruptions.
- Proactive Planning: The earlier marine shrink‑wrap is considered (from survey through to installation), the smoother the containment process. Walking the ship with scaffolders, extraction engineers and naval architects ensures all requirements are picked up.
Marine shrink‑wrap containment is more than just covering parts of a ship—it is a specialised, technical discipline essential to naval refit programmes like LIFEX. On HMS Kent, Tufcoat’s marine shrink‑wrap solutions ensured that blasting, paint application and other works could proceed safely, cleanly and efficiently. The success of these containment works underpins the wider life extension goals: keeping our Type 23 frigates structurally sound, operationally capable, and ready to transition towards the next generation of naval vessels.
Through strong client relationships, rigorous surveying, responsive account management and flexible onsite adaptation, marine shrink‑wrap becomes an enabler of quality, safety and value in complex naval shipyard projects.
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