Iran's marine and port industry — from the country's large commercial ports in the south, such as Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chabahar and Khorramshahr, to dedicated petrochemical and oil & gas jetties in Assaluyeh and the Persian Gulf islands — ranks among the harshest corrosion environments for metals anywhere. The simultaneous combination of saltwater and constant humidity, salt fog, the wave splash zone with its continuous wet-dry cycling, galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals, intense UV radiation in the country's southern regions, and biofouling from algae and marine shellfish growth sharply shortens the service life of steel structures in jetties, docks and offshore platforms, turning periodic maintenance and rehabilitation into one of the largest life-cycle cost items at Iranian ports. Nabak Composite's FRP and GRP profiles, fully resistant to saltwater corrosion and galvanic corrosion, electrically insulating, UV-resistant and lightweight, offer a proven engineering answer for dock grating decking, jetty handrails, mooring & fendering systems, offshore platforms and coastal boardwalks.

1Why the Marine Environment Is the Harshest Environment for Metal

2Six Key Engineering Properties for the Marine and Port Industry

Choosing FRP for a marine environment demands six complementary properties, given the severity and concurrence of its degradation mechanisms. First, chemical resistance to saltwater and chloride, achieved through the choice of vinyl ester resin and a corrosion-resistant surface veil. Second, freedom from galvanic corrosion; unlike metals, FRP creates no electrochemical reaction in direct contact with any other metal and can be installed directly alongside a dock's steel or aluminum structures. Third, resistance in the wave splash zone — the zone that, due to continuous wet-dry cycling and high oxygenation, is the most destructive part of any marine structure for metal. Fourth, complete electrical insulation for the safety of dock switchgear and equipment. Fifth, UV resistance for lasting color and gloss under southern Iran's intense sun. And sixth, a high strength-to-weight ratio, which enables handling, installation on vessels, and reduced dead load on offshore platforms.

FRP grating walkway on an offshore dock — saltwater resistance and electrical insulation

Resin selection (vinyl ester for direct, continuous contact with saltwater and the wave splash zone, or isophthalic polyester for general walkway and above-waterline handrail applications) is recommended by Nabak Composite's technical department based on the exact installation location.

3FRP Profile Applications in Jetties and Ports

Jetties and ports present the widest diversity of applications for composite profiles: from grating decking for inspection walkways and loading/unloading routes, which must be both saltwater-resistant and non-slip for the safe passage of workers, to jetty handrails and grab-rails along long docks that are directly and continuously exposed to wave splash. Mooring & Fendering systems, including bollards and guide piles, are also a growing application for FRP at modern ports, since unlike steel, it does not suffer galvanic corrosion in contact with a vessel's steel or aluminum hull. Dock access ladders and stairs, cable tray and power/telecom cable routing along docks, and inspection platforms beneath container cranes are further proven applications.

FRP grating walkway on an offshore dock — safe access route to an oil tanker

4FRP Profile Applications in Offshore and Marine Industries

On Persian Gulf offshore oil and gas platforms, FRP profiles have for years been accepted as the industry standard for access walkways, inspection platforms, helideck-area handrails and emergency escape stairs — where saltwater, humidity, corrosive hydrocarbon gases and spark-ignition (ATEX) safety requirements all come into play at once. In shipbuilding and vessel repair yards, temporary decks, dry-dock work platforms and hull inspection walkways are a growing FRP application. Seawater desalination plants and coastal petrochemical facilities also benefit from FRP decking and cable tray for their process units, owing to their direct exposure to concentrated brine and chemical solutions.

FRP offshore platform walkway — access route between multiple offshore oil and gas platforms

Specific Applications in Offshore and Marine Industries

5FRP Profile Applications in Coastal and Urban Structures

Beyond industrial ports, the growth of coastal tourism in southern Iran — Kish, Qeshm, Bandar Abbas and Chabahar — has created rising demand for coastal boardwalks and recreational piers, pedestrian bridges over rocks and breakwaters, marina and recreational-boat-harbor handrails, and lighthouse access walkways. In these applications, alongside technical resistance to saltwater and UV, attractive appearance, stable color and minimal maintenance requirements matter just as much as structural performance — qualities that painted wood or steel profiles quickly lose under coastal sun and humidity, but that FRP retains for many years. Breakwaters and seawalls are likewise a structural FRP application, protecting the coastline from wave erosion.

FRP pedestrian bridge and coastal walkway in a marina and tourist boardwalk on the coast of southern Iran

6In-Depth Technical Analysis: The Wave Splash Zone and Galvanic Corrosion

From a marine corrosion engineering perspective, metal structures sit in four distinct elevation zones, each with a different corrosion rate: the atmospheric zone (above the splash zone, exposed to salt fog), the wave splash zone, which, owing to high oxygenation and continuous wet-dry cycling, sees the highest corrosion rate for steel, the tidal zone with its fluctuating water level, and the permanently submerged zone. At Persian Gulf ports, due to higher water temperature and salinity compared with the open ocean, the corrosion rate of steel in the splash zone can significantly exceed typical international benchmarks. FRP profiles, unlike steel, show a uniform, near-zero corrosion rate across all four zones and require no cathodic protection system or thick epoxy coatings.

The second issue is galvanic corrosion: when two dissimilar metals (for example, stainless steel and aluminum, or carbon steel and bronze fittings) come into direct contact in the presence of a saltwater electrolyte, the more active (anodic) metal corrodes at an accelerated rate. This phenomenon, seen in multi-metal dock connections — such as a steel bolt on an aluminum plate — is one of the most common causes of premature failure in port structures. Because FRP is a non-metallic, electrically non-conductive material, it never forms a galvanic couple under any circumstances and can be used in direct contact with any metal combination in a marine structure; a property that simplifies the design of multi-component connections when rehabilitating older docks.

7Focus on Iran's Ports: Applications and Execution Logistics

Iran's major ports each have distinct climatic and operational conditions that must be factored into the selection and installation of FRP profiles. Bandar Abbas and Shahid Rajaee Port, as the country's largest container port with heavy loading and unloading traffic, require abrasion-resistant grating decking capable of handling high dynamic loads. Bushehr Port and the petrochemical jetties of Assaluyeh, given their direct proximity to gas process units, prioritize FRP's non-conductivity and freedom from spark generation in ATEX-classified zones. Chabahar Port, due to its location on the Gulf of Oman with salinity and temperature conditions different from the Persian Gulf and its long-term development plans, requires a low-maintenance, UV-resistant solution. Khorramshahr and the Arvand River also present their own corrosion conditions from the mix of fresh and saltwater at the river mouth, which calls for careful resin selection.

The Logistical Advantage of FRP's Light Weight in Port Project Execution

One of the main challenges in installing steel structures at ports is the need for marine cranes and heavy transport vessels to move bulky steel components onto docks or floating platforms — a cost that can claim a significant share of a project's budget. The light weight of FRP profiles (roughly a quarter that of steel of comparable strength) allows transport by ordinary vehicles and installation with limited manpower, even on floating docks and temporary platforms; an advantage of significant economic and operational value in port development projects with limited marine access or tight loading/unloading schedules.

8International and National Reference Standards for the Marine and Port Industry

9Multidisciplinary Engineering Acceptance of This Solution