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Wood treatment with certain chemicals enhances the life of catamarans and other marine craft substantially.
It not only helps traditional fishermen but also facilitates forest conservation, according to M. Balaji, scientist-in-charge of the local branch of the Institute of Wood Science and Technology.
At a workshop conducted here on Tuesday, he said the centre was working on arresting marine bio-deterioration of wood and it has found several methods to address the problem.
Marine craft, catamarans
“Wood is used widely in cargo boats, jetties, fishing vessels and catamarans. Bio-fouling (clinging of various micro-organisms to man-made structures in marine environment) and boring are the two main threats to wooden marine craft and catamarans. We have identified 28 species of ship worms and wood borers which destroy wood in Indian marine environment,’’ he explained.
Balaji said wood should be seasoned (dried in Sun till the moisture content is reduced to 20 per cent) and then treated with a chemical called copper-chrome-arsenic. He said that it would enhance the life of a catamaran to 15-20 years.
It would not lead to marine pollution, he said, even though a chemical was being used. Efforts were also being made to find other, alternative wood preservatives.
Wood treatment
He said that unfortunately there was little awareness about using treated wood and the facilities for treating wood were also not widely available.
“There used to be a wood treatment plant at Rajahmundry under the State Government but that was closed. There is one here in the naval dockyard, but it is not accessible to the public. We are trying to persuade the naval authorities to throw it open to the public, at a cost of course. There is only one wood processing unit at Pedagantyada here,’’ he said.
V Srinivasa Sastri of Timber Treat said that it would take not more than Rs 4,000 for treating wood used in catamaran manufacture. “Even if the traditional fishermen are unable to bear the cost, the Government should subsidise it,’’ he said.
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