Shipbuilding & Offshore Platforms

Seawater is the most aggressive natural electrolyte: roughly 19,000 ppm chlorides, plus wet-dry cycles and crevice gaps. Here the first criterion is not strength, but the material's ability to resist crevice corrosion.

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Typical Components & Material Selection

Component	Grade	Surface / Size	What to Watch For
Deck railings / rigging	316L	Tube / profile, polished	Salt spray, post-weld passivation
Seawater piping	2205 / 6Mo	Seamless / welded tube	Pitting, flow erosion wear
LNG tank inner shell	304L / 304	Plate 8–50 mm	Low-temperature impact toughness, class approval
Accommodation / galley equipment	304 / 316L	0.8–2 mm, 2B/HL	Cleanability, fingerprint resistance
Fasteners / fixtures	316 / 2205	Bar / forging	Stress corrosion cracking

These are common configurations.Actual selection depends on environment, temperature and welding method— the same component may move from 304 to 316L or 2205. Describing the service conditions is more useful than specifying a grade.

Three real constraints in this industry

Crevice corrosion is the dominant failure mode

Under gaskets and where brackets contact the hull, 304 shows rust within a few months. Eliminate the crevice by design (continuous welds, drain holes) and switch to 316L or 2205.

Confirm class society approval in advance

DNV / ABS / LR / CCS maintain their own approved material lists. A higher-grade material without approval still fails inspection — verify at the quotation stage.

Welding distortion accumulates toward assembly

Thin rigging components distort, and tolerance errors stack up at final assembly. Fabricate in sections with anti-distortion jigs and leave allowance for trim-off.