Installing Cathodic Protections Anodes to Protect Historic Marina

Studies have shown that for every dollar invested in cathodic protection (CP), ten dollars of future spending is averted. So, instead of spending a fortune on cyclical repairs, it seems that a smarter investment would be to protect infrastructure using cathodic protection. For instance, why would a small to mid-sized marina drive up operating expenses by repairing corrosion-related damage every few years when they can invest in long term corrosion prevention?

Many of the tug boat companies and marinas that operate on the East Coast are smaller, private organizations that don’t have huge budgets. Take, for example, Dann Marine Towing, a family-owned commercial tug boat and marina services operation located on the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal. Instead of spending a fortune on repetitive repairs over the next few decades, they invested in cathodic protection systems from MATCOR to protect their marina.

Dann Marine asked us to design and install a system for their 100-acre Canal Palace location, a historic landmark that has served the marine industry for more than a century. As the marina’s infrastructure aged and continued to be exposed to chlorides, it became apparent that Dann Marine had to stop the escalation of corrosion and prevent damage to its sea wall and boat ramp.

Specifically, MATCOR is installing three cathodic protection anode systems: MATCOR’s SPL™-HDP Anodes, MMP™ Anodes and PW™-Anodes to protect the marina.
Despite the use of CP for marinas and boats over the last couple hundred years, I have seen several news stories regarding marine infrastructure and marine vessels corroding and in need of repair over the last year. I’m left to ask myself why more private and public organizations don’t adopt CP or aren’t more aware of how cathodic protection can protect their assets. With a 20+ year operating life, Dann Marine believes MATCOR CP systems can really “save our ship.”