Strengthening the Resilience of Offshore Structures
An Integrated Review of Corrosion and Protective Coating Systems on Marine Renewable Energy Infrastructure
Keywords:
Marine Corrosion, Protective Coating, Structural Steel, Cathodic Protection, Self-Healing CoatingAbstract
The transition to clean energy sources is driving massive offshore infrastructure development, ranging from floating wind turbines, floating solar panels, to oil and gas platforms. However, all steel structures are constantly exposed to highly corrosive marine environments, including high humidity, chloride levels, and variations in atmospheric zones, splashes, tides, and submergedness. This review aims to analyze the technical performance of various corrosion and protective coating systems, including epoxy-based organic coatings, thermal spray coatings, cathodic protection systems, and intelligent coatings with self-healing capabilities, in maintaining the integrity of offshore steel structures. The study method was carried out through the synthesis of laboratory and field test data referring to ISO 12944 and NORSOK M-501 standards. The results of the analysis showed that the combination of multi-layer coatings with nanocontainer-based corrosion inhibitors significantly reduced the corrosion rate and extended the maintenance cycle. In addition, the integration of self-healing mechanisms in epoxy coatings has been shown to be able to mechanically restore the damaged protective layer without external intervention. The study concludes that a hybrid coating approach that combines barrier protection, cathodic protection, and self-healing capabilities is the most reliable solution to extend the service life of offshore renewable energy structures.
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