Germany-based corrosion specialist Steelpaint is calling for urgent action to address the significant environmental impact of steel corrosion, warning that inadequate corrosion protection is contributing more to global CO2 emissions than the entire aviation industry.
With the maritime industries consuming an estimated 100m tonnes of steel annually, premature corrosion and subsequent steel renewal work is increasing carbon emissions dramatically, said Steelpaint’s managing director Klaus Müller.
“Addressing this issue through effective steel protection is an economical and environmental imperative. Every premature steel asset failure triggers a replacement cycle that indirectly undermines the industry’s decarbonization efforts,” Müller said.
Steel production remains one of the most carbon-intensive industrial processes. To produce a single 10 m by 10 m, 20 mm thick steel plate, for instance, emits about three tons of CO2. Factor in transportation costs and the need for additional coatings, and the carbon footprint looms large.
This is underscored by joint research study carried out by Curtin University and Ohio State University, which estimated that 25% of global steel production is lost to corrosion, with replacement and renewal accounting for 4 to 9% of total emissions globally.
Global demand for steel in 2024 was 1.8bn tonnes and is forecast to grow by 2.9% by 2030. The shipbuilding industry alone consumes 32.2m tonnes per year, of which China, South Korea, and Japan use 88.3%.
