Corrosion is an important issue of coastal infrastructure design, operation and maintenance. In this paper, the current approaches for its control in steel bridge and sheet piles are identified and characterised. The barriers identified for these approaches are: occupational health and safety, manual-artisanal solutions in place, and uncertainty of maintenance results. Being asset management the main driver for an innovative approach, the following characteristic are identified to advance in corrosion control approaches: automation, remotely controlled operations, certification process and data collection. Finally, the need for new approaches is identified where the interest for infrastructure requalification as part of an Asset Management Plan can simultaneously deliver economic and social outcomes.