Major container ports worldwide are still experiencing high container volumes and dealing with the consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is resulting in delays on importation and exportation of goods.
For example, Felixstowe in the UK is ranked the 8th busiest port in Europe and has not only been hit with delays because of the pandemic but also as a result of BREXIT. Last week the port was shut due to bad weather, causing significant delays on goods, longer unpacking times and additional quay rental charges.
This is a common theme throughout ports worldwide and has considerable effect on the quality of metal goods that are being transported if they are not protected or are inadequately protected from corrosion.
The temperature and humidity these goods experience in transportation promotes corrosion, therefore goods must be protected to combat this. A robust corrosion protection system must be implemented to deal with any unexpected delays.
On a recent shipment from India to the UK, we monitored the temperature and humidity using data loggers, which gave the following results:
The temperature ranges from 7oC to 28oC with humidity levels ranging from 32% to 66%.
Transportation time was just over 1 calendar month however this data was collected before the current delays in the ports and we can expect this shipment journey to be longer now.
Metal corrodes at a much greater rate under humid conditions. This happens because the moisture-saturated air reacts with oxygen and electrons on the surface of the metal. The longer metal components are exposed to humid air, the faster they will generally corrode.
Every 50°F (10°C) increase in the temperature can double corrosion activity.
The higher the relative humidity, the smaller the temperature difference needed for condensation to form, which sets the stage for corrosion to occur.
The simplest and most cost-effective way to protect parts from humidity-based corrosion is to protect using anti-corrosion products.
For more information on a total corrosion control solution then please get in contact.