Steel has a clear place in the world's construction industry. Steel bridges, steel sheds and steel buildings.
But this metal, basically a mixture of iron and carbon, also has its place in the sea. Shipbuilders have been using it since 1880 to make ships.
However, as with everything, there are exceptions. Vessels used for sporting activities, fishing boats and small passenger boats are generally made of wood, aluminum, fiber, rubber or ferrocement. Despite this, the number and presence of these vessels on the market relative to the tonnage and number of vessels produced annually from steel is relatively small, the expert stresses.
As mentioned above, low carbon content steels are most commonly used in shipbuilding.
Technical details
But how ships are built. After the process design, the cuts and shaping of each structural part are made using the oxygen-fuel process. Then comes the assembly of the smaller elements that make them better known as panels, the assembly of the middle parts called blocks, and the joining of the larger parts such as rings. This is followed by the assembly and welding of the launching contact rings, the assembly of the slipway systems and equipment, and the launching.
History tells us that this is how steel reigned and has been the only important material for building cruise ships for https://www.zalivdesign.com/.
Fighting Corrosion
Steel has advantages as a building material. However, the most common problem with using steel at sea is its susceptibility to corrosion. To use it more effectively, you need to be aware of corrosion phenomena and existing methods of protection. Stainless steel can be used to solve this big problem, although its cost is much higher. Another way is to coat the steel with zinc.
On the other hand, it can be protected by coating with special wear-resistant plastics. And, as usual, there is the possibility of painting the metal and finally giving it cathodic protection.
