For any company that is involved in offshore and onshore projects, there are various factors that need to be taken into account while selecting the equipment to be used.  For instance, plate stock for structures and offshore used to build ships are required to not only be strong but also resistant from local and general corrosion. Additionally, the joining of these plates would need performance such as welding, where the heat affected zones stand a risk of getting decayed.

Which is why resilient materials such as stainless, Inconel, monel and hastelloys are to be used in the production of various parts involved in shipbuilding. Apart from being corrosion resistant, the alloys used have to be safe for the seafarers onboard these shipping vessels. Moreover, one cannot forget the cost of producing these vessels as well. Because some grades of alloys like stainless steels, Inconel, monel and hastelloys have good mechanical properties, many of these alloys could be considered for weight savings, thus contributing to the lowering of their price. 

Speaking of vessel construction, ships that have a length of about 500 feet, would require plates that are about 20 mm thick. Another instance would be of a naval warship produced from HY-80 grade steel, where the thickness of the outer layer would be 3/8th of an inch. On the other hand, the thickness of the stainless steel plate could fall anywhere between 5mm - 140mm, depending on the grade used in the construction of ships.