[ Duplex ] steels for offshore wind installations, citing applications such as offshore platforms, cable trays and pipe support. Finally, a white paper iii from Swiss Steel highlighted how high-quality steels can be optimized for machining operation. Page 16 for example discusses the availability of“ austenitic-ferritic duplex steels with good machinability despite the typical challenges of duplex materials”.
[ Duplex ] steels for offshore wind installations, citing applications such as offshore platforms, cable trays and pipe support. Finally, a white paper iii from Swiss Steel highlighted how high-quality steels can be optimized for machining operation. Page 16 for example discusses the availability of“ austenitic-ferritic duplex steels with good machinability despite the typical challenges of duplex materials”.
Market forecasts In a recent market forecast, Dr. Samantha Foster iv put the current size of the duplex steel market( base year: 2026) at approx. USD 4 billion and projected that to grow to around USD 6 billion by 2032 – a growth rate of 7.14 %. Other surveys had comparable figures although some projections were more modest, putting the duplex market at around USD 4 billion by 2032. Digging deeper, the super duplex and hyper duplex segments are often tipped to be the fastest-growing sub-categories. A number of forecasts are confident that growth in duplexes as a whole will outperform that of the standard stainless steel series. To give a sense of scale, the total stainless steel market was put at USD 230 billion in 2025.
Typical – and not so typical – applications The use of duplex steels has long been established in multiple sectors of industry, including oil & gas( umbilicals, risers, flowlines, wellhead components), marine systems( firewater, ballast water, desalination), and a whole host of process industries( pressure vessels, digesters, storage tanks, piping systems, evaporators, heat exchangers). Duplex is also deployed to good effect in structural applications( bridges, reinforcement bars, facades) as well as transportation( chemical tankers, bulk containers for road & rail). Looking at investments in duplex chemical tankers, highlghts include a USD 168 million order for three 33,000 dwt vessels in placed by South Korea’ s DM Shipping. Interesting detail: ships will be designed to run on methanol as well as conventional fuel. In a similar vein, Nantong Rainbow Offshore & Engineering Equipment has held a steel cutting ceremony for a 13,000 dwt duplex stainless steel chemical tanker ordered by German shipping group ESSBERGER. And at Wuhu Shipyard, work has commenced the construction of the first of six 38,000 dwt tankers
Using duplex 2205 to replace brick-lined carbon steel autoclaves could revolutionise hydrometallurgical processing, writes Muflih Hidayat( see main text). Illustrative image showing nickel laterite rocks.
for Norwegian ship operator Stolt Tankers. Each vessel is understood to have thirty duplex stainless steel cargo tanks. More interesting perhaps is to spotlight potential applications. Srikumar Chakraborty for example sees duplex as ideal for deep-sea mining v. He adds that countries including China, Japan, South Korea, France, and Norway are actively pursuing deep-sea mining, with interest driven by growing demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy infrastructure, electronics, and metal industries. An even more unique application has been postulated by researchers in China. Looking for ways to reduce the impact of oilfield activities, they suggest that duplex steel electrolysers could be deployed as a way of treating produced water. The bonus, of course, being the creation of a new supply of green energy vi. Meanwhile, Muflih Hidayat has written at length how duplex stainless steels are revolutionising hydrometallurgical processing vii. For example, while discussing atmospheric leaching systems, he notes that“ The Impala Base Metals Refinery case study demonstrates quantifiable benefits from duplex implementation. The replacement of brick-lined carbon steel autoclave with duplex 2205 construction eliminated the need for protective linings whilst reducing maintenance downtime from 15-20 days per year to 3-5 days for routine inspection and minor repairs.”
Ongoing research Extensive scientific research into duplex continues worldwide with China a particular focus of activity. For example, a team at Shanghai’ s Tongji University recently conducted mechanical property
Expert Impressions:
Hans Martin Jahren, Equinor“ There is a strong cost-focus in the energy industry so duplex will certainly have a place in this environment as a high strength and good corrosion resistance stainless steel with a relatively lean chemistry.”“ Unfortunately, heat treatment and other quality issues we thought were resolved fifteen years ago are again proving to be a reoccurring problem.”“ I am working on the update of ISO 17781 for the testing of duplex. This standard is important for the duplex industry and there is a lot of engagement from manufacturers and end users. Other main focus areas include insights into heat treatment and the practical limitations related to material thickness and the manufacturing process. Stress corrosion cracking of strain hardened super duplex has also been investigated with good results.”
www. stainless-steel-world. net Stainless Steel World April 2026 17