Integrated Corrosion Protection System for Ship Structures

Abstract

Corrosion combined with fouling growth can interfere with the operation of submerged equipment, impose increased loading stresses and accelerate deterioration of marine structures, and adversely affect the performance of ships by increasing hydrodynamic drag, which necessitates the use of more power and fuel to move the ship through the water. The protection of the submerged portions of a ship's hull seems to have been long acknowledged and practiced but corrosion related failure of ship components continue to occur giving economical loss to ship owners. An enlightened approach to materials selection, protection and corrosion control is needed to minimize the risk of failures or major renewals of hull structures during the ship's expected life span. Further, Proper and cost effective corrosion protection measures are necessary to maintain the asset value of the vessel with a special emphasis on the means and methods now being adopted in international regulatory regimes to contain it. This paper addresses the causes of corrosion in ship and the way in which corrosion can be reduced or entirely eliminated in a ship by integrating both technical and non technical methods of corrosion control.