The invention relates to an evaporator tube for a sea water desalination system, whereby drinking water or water for domestic or industrial purposes, respectively, is extracted from the sea in particular in areas having scarce fresh-water resources. The evaporator tube of the invention is characterized by being formed of a steel that is sea water resistant and at the same time acid resistant, and by having a wall thickness between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm. The evaporator tube of the invention may be furnished and utilized economically, and is characterized in particular by a high corrosion resistance at good heat transition owing to the thin wall, and by good resistance against low pH values. In addition, scaling on the evaporator tubes may reliably be prevented. It is therefore also suited for economical operation in intermittently operated sea water desalination systems such as, e.g., wind energy-powered sea water desalination systems.