Op-Ed: Washington must address corrosion crisis

Jennifer Merck

By Jennifer Merck, Vice President of Maritime, Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)

The U.S. is racing to modernize its maritime industrial base. Historic legislation is in motion. Public and private investments are surging. Shipyards are once again in the national spotlight. But beneath this promising momentum lies a corrosive threat that could quietly undermine it all.

Corrosion costs the Department of Defense more than $22.5 billion annually, eroding the reliability of naval assets, draining military readiness, and hindering progress on shipbuilding goals. It’s a hidden crisis, largely out of public view, yet devastatingly real to anyone working on the frontlines of fleet maintenance, shipyard repair, or infrastructure overhaul.

That’s why the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) is bringing corrosion, and the science to stop it, to Capitol Hill during Advocacy Day 2025 this July.

As the world’s largest organization dedicated to corrosion control and protective coatings, AMPP represents over 36,000 members globally, many of whom are engineers, coating applicators, inspectors, and researchers keeping U.S. infrastructure safe and operable. On July 9–10, AMPP members will meet face-to-face with lawmakers and federal agencies to advocate for corrosion mitigation as a cornerstone of national security and shipbuilding strategy.

A National Readiness Issue

This isn’t just about paint and rust. Corrosion is a readiness issue.

When ships spend more time in drydock than at sea, when protective coatings fail prematurely, and when there’s no pipeline of qualified professionals to address the backlog, the consequences extend far beyond logistics. They compromise safety, increase costs, and undercut America’s strategic advantage.

Take the Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan. Without prioritizing proactive corrosion protection and standardized coatings practices, modernization efforts risk delays, budget overruns, and diminished vessel lifespans. AMPP’s message to Congress is simple: You can’t build for the future without safeguarding what you create. That’s why corrosion prevention must be a foundational part of shipbuilding legislation from the very beginning.

Standards, Science, and Smart Policy

Advocacy Day isn’t just a meet-and-greet. It’s a coordinated, informed campaign to move federal policy forward.

Our agenda includes:

• Support for the SHIPS for America Act, a comprehensive effort to revitalize the maritime industrial base through workforce and infrastructure investment.
• Federal investment in training and certification, ensuring a pipeline of skilled workers ready to apply advanced protective technologies.
• Adoption of uniform protective coating standards, which promote performance, safety, and cost-efficiency across defense and commercial fleets.

The tools already exist. What’s needed now is congressional support to implement them at scale, through legislation, appropriations, and alignment with national shipbuilding goals.

The Workforce Behind the Mission

Technology alone won’t solve this crisis. We need people.

Workforce development is a fundamental component of AMPP’s mission. From certified coatings inspectors/blasters/sprayers to corrosion control specialists, trained professionals are the backbone of maritime resilience. And we need more trained professionals in the field. These are high-paying, hands-on careers that support families and anchor coastal economies.

We’re calling on lawmakers to back federal provisions that create career pathways, expand access to credentialing, and promote skilled trades as critical to national defense. These jobs don’t just build ships—they help safeguard them for decades.

Sustainability Starts with Longevity

As the maritime industry confronts the challenges of sustainability, corrosion must be part of the conversation.

Every time we extend the life of a vessel, reduce the need for recoating, or prevent structural failure, we reduce carbon output, material waste, and resource strain. The Department of Defense itself acknowledges that proactive corrosion management can reduce lifecycle costs by up to 30%.

Through AMPP-developed standards and best practices, our members are already pioneering next-generation solutions, including smart coatings, data-driven inspection tools, and eco-conscious application methods. But innovation alone isn’t enough. Federal policy must keep pace with technological advancements and reinforce the standards that ensure a lasting impact.

A Call to Action

In Washington, attention is a limited resource. Advocacy Day allows our industry to take a stand.

AMPP members will come prepared with real-world data, case studies, and frontline insights. But policymakers must be ready to act. That means investing in corrosion prevention, supporting the maritime workforce, and ensuring that industry consensus standards are woven into every aspect of shipbuilding and infrastructure planning.

If the U.S. is serious about revitalizing its maritime future, it must be equally serious about preserving it.