Underwater Welders

Modern welding processes were first developed in the latter half of the 19^th century. Examples include resistance welding (which was invented in 1877), arc welding (which was first used commercially in 1889), and thermite welding (which was first used commercially around 1900). Underwater welding was unheard of during the early days of modern welding due to the extreme risk of electrocution and the challenges of working in adverse conditions below the water. But technological advances gradually allowed for basic underwater welding operations.

“Underwater welding was first used during World War I when naval personnel temporarily repaired damages on British warships,” according to “Underwater Welding A Comprehensive Review of Techniques Applications Challenges, and Safety Practices,” an article that was published in the International Journal of Innovative Research in Engineering and Management. “These repairs involved leaking rivets on the hulls of the ships. Initially, underwater welding operations were limited to salvage operations and emergency repairs only.”

Soviet engineer Konstantin Khrenov invented the first successful underwater welding method in 1932. His techniques were used extensively during the Soviet navy during World War II. In 1946, Dr. van der Willigen of Holland improved the underwater welding process by creating special waterproof electrodes. A welding electrode is a coated metal wire that is connected to a welding machine to create an electric current, or arc. It is comprised of materials similar to the metal being welded. These and other inventions allowed the expanded use of underwater welding in a variety of settings.

Today, underwater welders play a key role in the offshore oil and gas, shipbuilding and repair, bridge and dam maintenance, underwater construction, and salvage and demolition industries.