Sacrificial Anodes Installed in Live Thames Operations

Client / Site: Port of London Authority, River Thames Central Operational Reach

The Challenge

The Port of London Authority required urgent installation of sacrificial anodes across multiple tidal infrastructure assets. Moreover, these assets were located in one of the Thames’ busiest commercial zones.

Sacrificial anodes are metal attachments that prevent corrosion by attracting electrical current away from steel structures. They provide essential protection for underwater infrastructure, and the operational challenges were significant:

• Live commercial operations – Installation without disrupting river traffic or berthing schedules
• Tidal access restrictions – Work limited to specific PLA-approved tidal windows
• Zero visibility conditions – Thames silt and urban runoff creating near-blackout underwater conditions
• Complex currents – Fast-flowing tidal streams around bridge piers and wharf structures
• Heavy siltation – Accumulated sediment complicating access to submerged steel piles
• Tight programme – All installations required within five-day tidal access window

Ultimately, any disruption to Thames operations would impact London’s vital commercial shipping and passenger services.

Our Response

Dagger Diving deployed a specialist inshore diving team with equipment designed for challenging urban waterway conditions.

Strategic Coordination – We worked directly with PLA marine traffic control and river operations, coordinating every dive with live permit conditions and real-time current monitoring to ensure zero disruption to commercial traffic.

Tidal Planning – Our team sequenced all diving operations around ebb tide cycles, maximising safe access time whilst reducing current exposure for divers working on submerged structures.

Specialist Installation Techniques – Using mechanical fastening clamps and calibrated torque tools, our surface-supplied divers installed each anode to precise specifications despite zero visibility conditions.

Mobile Platform Operations – We operated from a tidal-access platform, repositioning daily to match tide exposure cycles and maintain optimal working positions for each installation site.

Zero Visibility Protocols – Our divers used low-visibility tactile inspection methods combined with diver-held acoustic imaging to verify each installation, ensuring quality despite impossible visual conditions.

Continuous Safety Monitoring – All operations maintained constant surface communications with PLA river control notified before and after every dive, ensuring full situational awareness throughout the busy waterway.

The Outcome

Mission accomplished – all anodes installed within the five-day tidal window with zero operational disruption.

Complete installation results:

• Anodes successfully installed on submerged steel piles and structural supports
• Zero incidents or delays – Perfect safety and operational record
• Full environmental protection – No discharge, asset damage, or schedule deviation
• PLA sign-off achieved – Final installation approved by PLA engineers and in-house divers
• Quality assurance complete – Photographic and positional QA logs submitted and accepted

Our precision installation techniques and tactical coordination with PLA operations ensured critical corrosion protection was installed. All without impacting London’s vital Thames commercial operations.

Project delivered maintaining infrastructure integrity and operational excellence with zero river traffic disruption.

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