Evaluation of Corrosion Protection Methods and Corrosion Behavior of Mild Steel in Marine Environments

Abstract Marine environments with elevated chloride concentrations pose a considerable risk of corrosion for steel structures such as ship hulls, tanks, and offshore platforms. Unlike many previous studies that relied on artificial seawater, this work employed natural seawater with characterized chemical properties to replicate realistic conditions. The corrosion performance of mild steel was assessed over 14–84 days of immersion, using weight loss, corrosion rate calculations, and surface examinations. Two protection strategies were investigated: epoxy coating and cathodic protection with sacrificial zinc anodes. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA with Tukey HSD) revealed that both methods significantly reduced corrosion rates, with no statistically significant difference between them, although zinc anodes exhibited slightly more stable long-term trends. This study contributes by integrating natural seawater exposure, long-term immersion, and statistical validation, offering a comprehensive comparison of corrosion protection strategies for mild steel in marine environments.