The use of aluminium‐rich alloys in shipbuilding

Soon after World War II the use of aluminium in the shipbuilding industry began to increase at a very rapid rate. Its use is still increasing (though plastics may in some locations now be a serious competitor) and the main reasons are three. Its lightness, which can be a constructional asset and bring about gains in stability coupled with savings in power consumption. Its corrosion‐resistance in sea‐water, which in spite of its position in the e.m.f. series, gives some of the aluminium ‐ rich materials surprising resistance to most forms of corrosion in sea‐water. Its availability, especially in the '50s, and its low price.