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Corrosion Control Strategies in Marine Vessels

C
CMSAS Admin
07 May 2026 7 min read
Corrosion Control Strategies in Marine Vessels

Marine corrosion is the biggest factor threatening the life and safety of a ship. A comprehensive assessment covering cathodic protection, coating systems and inhibitors.

When saltwater, high humidity and biological organisms combine, they create the most challenging corrosion environment for a ship hull. Without an effective corrosion control program, operating costs rise rapidly.

Cathodic Protection

The sacrificial anode system is applied by attaching zinc or aluminum anodes to the hull. In active systems, the Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) system automatically adjusts the protection current with feedback from reference electrodes. ICCP provides up to 70% annual zinc anode savings on large ship hulls.

Synergy with Coating Systems

When cathodic protection and coating systems are used together they create a synergistic effect. Electrolytic corrosion can occur at a point of coating damage; however, cathodic protection also secures these points. The combination of epoxy primer + antifouling + Self-Polishing Copolymer (SPC) paint system has become today's standard.