Many copper alloys were introduced largely because of their excellent resistance to corrosion by salt-water and salt-laden atmospheres; they have found also applications where a wear resistance greater than that possessed by pure copper is required. Thus aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, aluminium brass, gunmetal, cupro-nickel and 'Monel' are copper alloys which have long been standard materials for shipbuilding.


For ships' propellers in warships and the vast majority of merchant vessels, copper alloys, such as high tensile brass or aluminium bronze, are invariably used.

It is the engine and boiler rooms of a ship where copper and copper alloys are used to the greatest extent. Marine condenser tubes are invariably copper nickel or arsenical aluminium brass, two alloys which are particularly resistant to the severe corrosive and erosive effects of rapidly flowing sea-water. Copper and copper alloys are used for the feed-water, fresh-water and salt-water cooling systems, for ships' evaporators, low temperature steam lines and for numerous items of auxiliary equipment such as pumps, feed heaters, valves and miscellaneous coolers.