Just as we thought the Covid-19 situation was easing, there comes a whammy. The second wave really hit us hard sending many states and cities in India scurrying for cover with a lockdown or curfew once again. Yes, things are improving and we hope within a few months from now, we will be able to get back to some semblance of normalcy.

This was followed by the Cyclone Tauktae. The cyclone caused a large amount of maritime incidents as it moved along the coast of western India. According to news reports, a barge P305 broke anchor and sank with 261 personnel on board. While 186 people were rescued, 71 bodies have been recovered so far. Hundreds were missing from various barges; however, most of them have been rescued. Other larger ships also experienced problems, such as structure or power losses. In another incident 11 of the 13 personnel on tugboat Varaprada, which also went adrift due to the cyclone storm are feared dead. The two lucky ones were rescued.

This incident shows the risks involved with maintenance work on the offshore platforms and rigs in the high seas.

It is expected that the Arabian Sea will see more of such cyclones in the coming years, mainly, they say, due to the phenomenon of ‘global warming.’ Coming to the topic of ‘global warming,’ June 5 is celebrated as the World Environment Day. It is entirely up to us, in fact, everyone’s duty to protect the environment and this beautiful planet for our future generations yet to come.

The coating industry too has in its own small way innovating to mitigate the effects of ‘global warming.’ Coatings that help reduce temperatures and air conditioning load in buildings are already available in the market. In the near future, the growing need for energy efciency, along with the adoption of green building codes, by numerous governments would only spur the growth of such products. In this issue, our main story analyses the expected market growth and some of the innovations in heat reecting or cool-roof coatings.

Besides this, we also have our regular read of news items, new product launches, besides the regular features like the Interview, Case Study, and many others.

Stay safe...