The　steel　tube　confined　concrete　(STCC)　column　piers　of　marine　structures　have　been　proposed　in　recent　years.　The　main　advantages　of　STCC　piers　include　the　convenient　construction　process　and　improved　core　concrete　strength.　This　research　presents　an　experimental　investigation　on　stainless　steel　tube　confined　concrete　(SSTCC)　column　piers　subjected　to　axial　loading.　Thirty　two　specimens　were　prepared　and　tested.　Test　variables　included　section　shape,　steel　tube　thickness,　and　concrete　strength.　Failure　modes,　axial　ultimate　compressive　strength,　strain　characteristics,　rigidity,　confinement　effect,　and　ductility　were　comprehensively　investigated.　Test　results　demonstrated　that　the　main　failure　modes　for　circular　and　square　specimens　were　concrete　shear　failure　and　steel　tube　fracture　caused　by　concrete　deformation,　respectively.　The　axial　compressive　ultimate　strength　was　affected　by　the　tube　thickness　and　concrete　strength.　The　ultimate　strength　increased　with　the　increase　in　the　confinement　factor,　and　the　increasing　ratio　of　the　circular　specimens　was　five　times　to　that　of　square　specimens.　The　differences　in　axial　ultimate　compressive　strength　of　SSTCC　column　piers,　carbon　steel　tube　confined　concrete　column　piers,　and　concrete　filled　steel　tube　column　piers　were　also　analyzed.　Increasing　tube　thickness　could　increase　the　ductility　and　rigidity　of　the　specimens.　Moreover,　axial　ultimate　compressive　strengths　were　calculated　and　discussed　based　on　different　calculation　models.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd