The CCNS (Corrosion Control for Navy Ships) project, which ran from 2013-2016 in the EDA framework, involved major European industrial stakeholders, top-rated European research institutes, specialised entreprises and also academic organisations. It successfully tested and identified solutions with high potential, which also triggered numerous scientific publications.
Increasing military requirements combined with environmental regulations, such as REACH, lead to critical situations in the sense that they put at risk the operational availability and running costs of Navy ships in terms of corrosion and surface protection. In addition, there is a requirement to extend repair intervals to 6-10 years in order to reduce maintenance levels and related costs, to maintain ship security and to comply with environmental regulations. The consequences of these requirements and regulations are various and have types a serious impact on potential risks, unsuitability and/or suppression of existing technical solutions.
In this context, the aim of the project was to consider new approaches and solutions for defining in particular the adapted conditions based maintenance. In order to achieve this, the vast Corrosion Control of Navy Ships (CCNS) study was undertaken between 2013 and 2016 to establish the critical areas within Corrosion Control Technology.
Through its extensive tests, the project produced very positive results in the field of sensors and fouling treatment. One sensor, which is now commercialised, offers a promising solution for on-board applications. Interesting results for new faster accelerated aging tests have also been obtained, showing the relevance to real in-service degradation of coatings and corrosion.
The study revelead that the process of data collection is especially challenging in terms of measuring on-board currents. A database including relevant and usable data for modeling of cathodic protection was created. Collection and integration of such data into an improved numerical model will help optimise the systems used by navies of all participating countries.
The project was managed and funded by France (DGA), Germany (WiWEB), Italy (Marina Difensa) and UK (DSTL) in the frame of the European Defence Agency, and carried out by Institut de la Corrosion (Project leader, France) DCNS research (France), Centro Sviluppo Materiali (Italy), CNR-ISMAR (Italy), BAE Systems (UK), University of Southampton (UK) and AISH technologies (UK) with contribution from DGA (France), BWA WIWeB and BWB WTD 71 (Germany).
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