Shipbuilding & Offshore

Seawater is the harshest natural electrolyte: roughly 19,000 ppm chloride plus wet-dry cycling and crevices. Here the first criterion is not strength — it is whether the material can withstand crevice corrosion.

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Typical Parts & Material Selection

Part	Grade	Surface / Size	Watch Out For
Deck railing / fittings	316L	Tube / profile, polished	Salt spray, post-weld passivation
Seawater piping	2205 / 6Mo	Seamless / welded pipe	Pitting, flow erosion
LNG tank inner hull	304L / 304	8–50 mm plate	Low-temperature toughness, class approval
Accommodation / galley equipment	304 / 316L	0.8–2 mm, 2B/HL	Cleanability, fingerprint resistance
Fasteners / fixings	316 / 2205	Bar / forging	Stress corrosion cracking

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

Three real constraints in the industry

Crevice corrosion is the dominant failure mode

Under seals and at contact points between bracket and body, 304 rusts within months. Eliminate crevices by design (continuous weld seams, drain holes) and upgrade to 316L or 2205.

Confirm classification society certification as early as possible

DNV / ABS / LR / CCS each maintain their own approved material list. Better quality that is not approved still fails inspection — check at the quotation stage.

Welding distortion accumulates at assembly

Thin-walled fittings distort, and errors pile up in final assembly. Use anti-distortion fixtures in sub-assembly production and allow cutting margin.