Corrosion in Ballast Tanks is the deterioration process where the surface of a ballast tank progresses from microblistering, to hydroscaletric electration, and finally to cracking of the tank steel itself.
::“Effective corrosion control in segregated water ballast spaces is probably the single most important feature, next to the integrity of the initial design, in determining the ship’s effective life span and structural reliability,” said Alan Gavin, Germanischer Lloyd's Principal surveyor.
Throughout the years the merchant fleet has become increasingly aware of the importance of avoiding corrosion in ballast tanks.