4.2  Corrosion protection during shipping

[German version]


4.2.1  Corrosion

Corrosion is the term used to describe the degradation in quality of a usually metallic material due to chemical or electrochemical attack. Corrosion is now also used to describe similar effects on other materials such as glass, plastics, construction materials. The aggressive medium is known as the corrosive agent. There are a number of different types of corrosion:

  • Uniform surface corrosion
  • Shallow pit corrosion
  • Pitting
  • Crevice corrosion

4.2.2  Susceptibility to corrosion

One product sensitivity of packaged goods is their susceptibility to corrosion. This characteristic generally applies to technical products. During transport, handling and storage (particularly during overseas shipment), such goods are subject to certain stresses arising from corrosive factors which the corrosion protection applied ex works and intended for delivery and storage is no longer able to withstand. This means that additional or new corrosion protection must be applied for shipping. Only the manufacturer can determine the extent to which their products are susceptible to corrosion. They know their product and know what metals and alloys have been used. The manufacturer must pass this information to those responsible for packaging the product so that they can use the most suitable method of corrosion protection. Alternatively, the manufacturers themselves draft a corrosion protection strategy for their product and make this available to the packer for realization.

Factors which promote corrosion during shipment can be:

  • High relative humidity > 40 %
  • Formation of condensation as a result of temperature changes combined with elevated levels of relative humidity.
  • Seawater and high salt content in the air
  • Dirt and gases in the air, such as SO2, salts, hygroscopic dust
  • Hygroscopic packaging materials with high moisture content
  • Finger marks on metal surfaces
  • Chemical influences
  • Biotic influences

4.2.3  Existing protective measures

If any corrosion protection measures have already been applied ex works, steps must be taken to ensure that the final protective measures for shipment are compatible with the existing measures or that the existing protection is removed in order to preclude incompatibilities.




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