Some Recent Developments in Corrosion Assessment and Management for Steel Ships and Offshore Structures

While it has been reportedly recognized that most casualties of marine structures including total losses have involved corrosion degradation, corrosion is one of the most important factors influencing safety and integrity of aging structures. Corrosion wastage also causes significant issues in terms of health, the environment, and financial expenditure. While the loss of a total system typically causes great concern, maintenance and repair of damaged structures is costly to society and the environment in general and important to the economic viability of the enterprises involved in particular. It is thus essential to develop advanced technologies that can allow for the proper assessment and management of corrosion. An overview of some recent developments in corrosion assessment and management for steel ships and offshore structures is addressed in the present paper. Relevant corrosion mechanisms, corrosion wastage models, design considerations (design corrosion-margin values), and preventive measures with the emphasis on marine structures are presented.