Magnetic attraction for pollution control

Miko Plasters are magnetic patches that work like sticking plasters available in a range of standard or customised sizes to create a water tight seal over a potential source of pollution.

They are manufactured in Norway from an immensely strong fabric that is backed by a flexible magnetic coating. The magnet has considerable holding power which enables a temporary seal to be applied above or below water until welding or other permanent repair is possible.

Miko Plasters have had considerable success in recent years when they have proved to be the simplest yet most effective solution to problems that could otherwise be expensive in terms of pollution penalties or operational costs. The bitumen tanker Ashphalt Navigator became notable among these when it grounded off Santa Domingo in 1999. The ship was detained until the very real threat of pollution was eliminated. The answer was provided by the use of some 60 m2 of Miko Plaster that enabled the ship to sail safely on a three week voyage across the Atlantic to Europe.

More recently, magnetic patches from Miko Marine came to the rescue when the tanker Highland Faith grounded outside New York whilst loaded with 70,000 tons of gasoline. It suffered a significant dent and a tear of 25m which was effectively patched in-situ under water using Miko Plaster technology.

With the carriage of Miko Plaster kits becoming increasingly common, the ability to conduct effective emergency repairs is a reality. Carriage is now being recommended for any ship operating in polar waters where ice can cause hull punctures that can lead to the loss of the vessel and subsequent pollution. The vulnerability of such ships was clearly demonstrated by the M/V Explorer which was lost after suffering a hole no bigger than a fist.

Powerful permanent magnets supplied by Miko can also be used to minimise the spread of pollution from a ruptured tank. When a boom is floated around a ship to retain a leaking pollutant, the affected area of water can be quite large. The 1000 kg holding power of Miko MAM-005 permanent magnets now presents the alternative option of fixing the ends of a boom to the ships hull on either side of the leak. This retains the pollutant within a much smaller area from where it can be recovered. This use of magnets offers yet another quick, easy and cost effective answer to problems that would be extremely difficult to solve without them.