What is BS EN 12473 - Cathodic protection in seawater about?
BS EN 12473 is a European Standard on cathodic protection in seawater.
The main aim of the BS EN 12473 series is to ensure optimal performance and service life of shipbuilding and marine structures.
BS EN 12473 covers the general principles of cathodic protection when applied in seawater, brackish waters and marine mud. It is intended to be an introduction, to provide a link between the theoretical aspects and the practical applications, and to constitute support to the other European Standards devoted to cathodic protection of steel structures in seawater.
BS EN 12473 specifies the criteria required for cathodic protection.
BS EN 12473 provides recommendations and information on reference electrodes, design considerations and prevention of the secondary effects of cathodic protection.
The practical applications of cathodic protection in seawater are covered by the following standards:
- EN 12495, Cathodic protection for fixed steel offshore structures
- EN ISO 13174, Cathodic protection of harbour installations (ISO 13174)
- EN 12496, Galvanic anodes for cathodic protection in seawater and saline mud
- EN 13173, Cathodic protection for steel offshore floating structures
- EN 16222, Cathodic protection of ship hulls
- EN 12474, Cathodic protection of submarine pipelines
- ISO 15589-2, Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries — Cathodic protection of pipeline transportation systems — Part 2: Offshore pipelines
For cathodic protection of steel-reinforced concrete whether exposed to seawater or to the atmosphere, EN ISO 12696 applies.
Who is BS EN 12473 - Cathodic protection in seawater for?
BS EN 12473 on cathodic protection in seawater is useful for:
- Manufacturers and designers of shipbuilding and marine structures
- Manufacturers and suppliers of metals and steels used in marine and shipbuilding industry
- Oil and gas industry
- Naval and defence authorities
- Regulatory bodies
- National authorities
Why should you use BS EN 12473 - Cathodic protection in seawater?
Cathodic protection is a technique used to control the corrosion of a metal surface by making it the cathode of an electrochemical cell commonly used to protect numerous structures such as pipelines, ships, tanks and offshore oil platforms.
In this regard, BS EN 12473 describes the design of a cathodic protection system, its application, and the determination of the amount of cathodic protection. The potential criteria required for the cathodic protection of the most often used metallic materials in seawater, brackish waters and saline mud are also given in BS EN 12473. The potential criteria and limit values related to the risks of overprotection are “polarized” and are expressed without IR errors. The purpose of design considerations provided by BS EN 12473 is to outline some of the factors that can influence the design of a cathodic protection system. As a result, you can ensure the whole structure is adequately protected and that areas are not substantially over-polarized in order to avoid possible adverse effects such as coating breakdown, corrosion fatigue, and excessive alkalinity.
Overall, BS EN 12473 can assist you preventing corrosion of metals and thus in maintaining the performance, durability and structural integrity of marine and shipbuilding structures, such that they are fit for purpose.
