Corrosive materials: Another lifeboat danger

According to the Australian Institute of Marine & Power Engineers (AIMPE), 304 / 302 grade (Austenitic) stainless steel lifeboat fasteners commonly used on lifeboats suffer from extreme corrosion in warm climates where solar radiation can raise the steel temperature above 70 degrees C. Chloride stress corrosion cracking (CSCC) is another problem inherent in some types of fasteners. These flaws may result in failed mechanisms with no warning.

The AIMPE recommends using a higher nickel content austenitic alloy such as 330 or 904L.

Corrosive material is one of the 10 reasons for rescue boat disasters listed in our article  "Lifeboats and Rescue Boats: Life savers or death traps?" that can be found in our article library here.

If you were hurt in a lifeboat or rescue boat, contact a qualified maritime attorney immediately. Because not only can you receive justice for yourself, you may help to force badly needed uniformity in distress craft safety enforcement. As is generally the case in maritime safety, it takes far too many victims and disasters to lead to change.