UK: Cathelco to Supply Corrosion Protection and Marine Pipework Systems for Europa II

Cathelco are supplying hull corrosion protection and marine pipework anti-fouling systems for the Europa II, a cruise ship which is to be built for Hapag Lloyd Cruises at the STX yard in St Nazaire. The new ship which is scheduled to enter service in 2013 will have 258 cabins and a maximum passenger capacity of 516 people. It will provide a 5 star alternative to the existing Europa with an itinerary which will cover Mediterranean destinations in the summer months and more distant voyages in the winter.

Cathelco will be supplying the ship with an impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system which will protect the hull surface against corrosion throughout the life of the vessel. As the Europa II is 225 metres in length, Cathelco will be providing a 350 amp forward and aft system. The150 amp forward system will consist of two 75 amp elliptical anodes and two reference electrodes connected to a control panel. The 200 amp aft system which will protect the stern of the ship and the more vulnerable area around the propellers will consist of two 100 amp anodes and two reference electrodes.

In operation, the reference electrodes measure the electrical potential at the hull/seawater interface and send a reading to the thyristor control panel which automatically raises or lowers the output to the anodes. In this way, the hull receives the optimum level of corrosion protection at all times.

Cathelco will also be supplying the Europa II with seawater pipework anti-fouling systems to protect a total of six seachests. These will safeguard the engine cooling lines and a range of auxiliary services against blockages caused by bio-fouling.

Two seachests with flow rates of 1516m3/hr will both be installed with three copper anodes and one aluminium anode wired to control panels. In operation, the copper anodes produce ions which are carried throughout the pipework system and produce an environment where mussel and barnacle larvae do not settle or breed. At the same time, the aluminium anode produces ions which create a cupro-aluminium film which acts as an anti-corrosive layer on the internal surfaces of pipes. In this way, the system is dual purpose, by simultaneously eliminating bio-fouling and suppressing corrosion.

The four other seachests with smaller flow rates are protected with pairs of copper and aluminium anodes wired to control panels. With the ability to dose large volumes of seawater, the Cathelco seawater pipework anti-fouling system is ideally suited to the requirements of cruise vessels which require large volumes of water for engine cooling and other shipboard services.

Cathelco has a long record of providing systems for the cruise ship industry including vessels operated by RCCL, Carnival Cruise Lines, NCL and Disney and Costa.

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Source: cathelco, August 16, 2011.