The Future Development Trend of Aluminum Alloy Hulls

The situation of The South China Sea
In recent years, the complicated situation in the South China Sea has affected the nerves of a great number of Chinese. The arbitration case of the recent South China Sea has increased the tension for the South China Sea. China's firm attitude on the South China Sea issue means that in the future, China will take more economic and even military action in the South China Sea to protect its interests. Ships are indispensable to conduct activities at sea. Undoubtedly, there will be more ships at sea in the future, being at the southernmost tip of China, and the demand for aluminum alloy hulls will become quite more.
 
The advantages and development of aluminum alloy
Since 1891, aluminum alloy has been used in the shipbuilding industry for nearly a hundred years. With the rapid development of the shipbuilding industry at home and abroad, the lightweight of ships is increasingly paid attention to. Aluminum is very suitable for the harsh environment of the ocean due to its low density, high strength, and good corrosion resistance. The processing cost of aluminum is low, so it is more economical to use aluminum to manufacture ships. From the perspective of ship designers, ships made from aluminum alloy have a faster speed and a longer service life under the same power conditions. Therefore, the technology of aluminum alloy ships has advanced rapidly in recent years and provided a broad market for a large number of aluminum materials.
 
There are many benefits for aluminum alloy used in ships.
1. Excellent welding performance
Welding has more obvious advantages than riveting because the property lost by welding cannot be restored by reheating in shipbuilding. Aluminum alloy has good crack resistance for welding, and the performance of welded joints after welding is not much different. Therefore, it is very conducive to welding in shipbuilding.
 
2. Excellent corrosion resistance
Aluminum will form a dense and strong aluminum oxide film on its surface when exposed to air, which can well resist the erosion of various elements in seawater. Coupled with the anodizing technology, aluminum alloy can maintain a very stable form in seawater.
 
3. Low density and lightness
The density of aluminum is only one third of that of iron. Under the premise of the same hull size, the aluminum alloy hull will have lighter weights, which is greatly beneficial to the high speed and fuel economy of the ship, obtaining a longer cruising range with the same consumption.
 
China has a coastline of more than 18,000 kilometers. China is rich in marine resources, but it is also difficult in coastal defense. The increasingly acute South China Sea issue reminds us of the importance of strengthening coastal defense. It can be predicted that with the development of the economy and the constantly changing situation in the surrounding seas, marine activities around China will increase day by day, and more ships for trade or military will be used at sea. Therefore, the future business prospects of aluminum alloy hulls are undoubtedly very good due to their incomparable advantages.