Integrity assurance for iconic underwater structures
Seawater is a chemical plant. We see the damage before it breaks.
Independent underwater NDT of acrylic viewing panels, reinforced concrete and waterproofing coatings, carried out while the facility stays in operation.
References include SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Atlantis The Royal, Nausicaá and Pairi Daiza.
Acrylic viewing panels
Panels, tunnels and pool walls inspected underwater, with the facility in operation.
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Reinforced concrete
Rebar corrosion, half-cell surveys to ASTM C876, sacrificial anodes and cathodic protection.
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Waterproofing coatings
Polyurea and bituminous systems: adhesion, continuity, moisture and singular points.
Explore →Civil standards were not designed for seawater environments
Ruptures and cracking of panels, joints and tanks at public aquariums worldwide, according to MAREX's own field experience, including cases investigated under confidentiality. Some occurred only weeks or months after opening. In each case, the warning signs were there before the failure.
Marine and coastal inspection expertise, applied where civil standards fall short.
Qualified NDT inspectors and professional divers, inspections carried out while the facility stays in operation, and independent reporting.
See our expertise →What we protect
- OperatorsKeep the facility open and safe.
- BuildersProve the quality of the work at handover and limit liability.
- Operating staffDivers, aquarists and technicians work in and around the tanks every day.
- Living collectionsFauna and flora that cannot be evacuated or replaced overnight. Our divers work around them, never against them.
- The publicVisitors stand inches from millions of litres of water.
- Business continuityAn unplanned closure costs months of revenue.
- ReputationOne failure makes headlines for years. Prevention never does.
Trusted on landmark projects
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi · Atlantis The Royal · One Za'abeel · Burj Khalifa · Nausicaá · Aquatis · Pairi Daiza · FIVE Luxe JBR · The World islands
Selected projects. On each, MAREX intervened in construction quality control, periodic inspection in operation and/or technical expertise on damage.
Four families of iconic underwater structures
Large public aquariums
Giant acrylic panels, tunnels, life support environments and marine mammal pools, inspected while the facility stays open.
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Architectural pools
Cantilevered, glass-bottom and rooftop pools where structure, acrylic and sealing meet at height.
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Marine & coastal infrastructure
Reinforced concrete, outfalls, moorings and coastal structures exposed to seawater.
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Expert witness for insurers & courts
Independent technical expertise on damage, disputes and claims for courts, insurers, law firms and owners.
Explore →The MAREX Integrity Process
One structured method, from desk study and site visits to the signed inspection report, applied identically on every project and in every country.
- 01
Preparation & desk study
Before any site work, we study the asset and its context.
- 02
Client meetings & technical visits
Objectives, constraints and access are confirmed with the client and on site.
- 03
Underwater inspection & investigations
Underwater and atmospheric NDT by certified diver and rope-access inspectors, with ROV and drones where relevant. Samples are taken for laboratory analysis.
- 04
Laboratory & data analysis
Concrete samples, and water that has migrated through the concrete, are analysed in the laboratory. Field and laboratory data are then consolidated and analysed before any conclusion is drawn.
- 05
Report, validation & sign-off
The report is written, controlled and validated, then signed by a certified inspector.
The deliverable is the inspection report.
Validated, signed, traceable and actionable. Every finding is linked to field evidence, and no report leaves MAREX without the signature of a certified inspector.
AI integrated into inspection since 2019
Our AI was trained for two to three years on our standards, materials, procedures and report formats, then fine-tuned on real cases. It supports preparation, field execution, data analysis and report writing. A certified inspector validates and signs every deliverable. On SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, the daily reporting cycle of 12 inspectors fell from 40 to 50 hours to 4 to 5.
AI & Data →Core material specialities
Acrylic viewing panels
Condition assessment of giant acrylic panels and tunnels for underwater viewing.
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Silicone sealing under water pressure
Inspection, leak detection and repair supervision of structural silicone joints.
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Waterproofing coatings
Polyurea and bituminous systems, tank watertightness, adhesion, thickness and continuity.
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Rebar corrosion
Half-cell surveys to ASTM C876, laboratory analysis of migrated water, sacrificial anodes and diagnosis.
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Stainless steel in seawater
Corrosion analysis and prevention for stainless steel exposed to seawater.
Explore →Selected references
© FIVE Hotels and ResortsWhat clients and partners say about MAREX
“On the Orlando project, MAREX dealt with stainless steel corrosion problems that nobody had anticipated at that level. Their diagnosis was clear from the first visit, and their recommendations could be applied straight away. We were able to fix things without putting the schedule at risk.”
“On SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, MAREX ran the quality control campaigns and provided technical expertise throughout the construction phase. It is the largest public aquarium in the world. Their constant presence and their ability to deal with complex issues in real time were decisive in meeting the requirements.”
“Since 2019, MAREX has been our IRM partner, for inspection, repair and maintenance, on the five projects we have built. They know our facilities, anticipate the points to watch, and their reports let us plan maintenance with accurate data. We work together on an ongoing basis.”
Bernard Duchenne, Founder and CEO
Engineer, pilot, offshore commercial diver and certified underwater NDT inspector. He leads MAREX and still dives on critical projects.
Safety, independence and traceability as operating standards
Project-specific diving safety plans, protocols for live environments with marine life, independent findings and traceable, signed reports.
QHSE & Independence →Certified inspectors, recognised professional bodies
Underwater NDT inspection, commercial diving and inspection drone qualifications, and memberships of recognised corrosion, NDT, waterways and attractions industry bodies.
These marks are professional bodies and qualification schemes, not a company ISO certificate. MAREX inspectors hold individual underwater NDT, diving, corrosion and coatings qualifications. ISO and ASTM International are standards bodies. MAREX applies published test methods, including half-cell surveys to ASTM C876 and pull-off tests to ASTM D4541 and ASTM D7234, as method references, not as a company accreditation. NACE is now part of AMPP, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance. MAREX does not hold ISO certification of its own management system, by choice: quality control is our profession, and an auditor cannot be judge and party.
Planning an inspection programme or a tender?
Send us your scope, drawings and timeline. We return a structured technical and commercial proposal.