The danger lurking within marinas isn't the water itself but an invisible threat, concealed beneath the surface. No it’s not Loch Ness or a 25 feet Great White shark. In fact, it is something that cannot be seen with the naked eye but is felt instantaneously upon entering the water. It's the leakage of alternating current (AC) into the water. With numerous boats moored side by side, many of which might not meet safety standards, along with aging, improperly installed, or modified dock equipment, there are ample opportunities for current leakage to manifest.

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How do electric shock drownings occur?

Electric shock drownings (ESDs) happen when an electric current moves through a body, resulting in paralysis of skeletal muscles, respiratory paralysis leading to lung shutdown, ventricular fibrillation, or full cardiac arrest. The most common outcome is skeletal muscle paralysis, rendering the swimmer unable to move their limbs to stay afloat or swim to safety, ultimately leading to drowning. The current is most potent near its source of leakage and gradually weakens as it extends outward. However, even if one assumes they are sufficiently distanced from a boat or dock, they can still fall victim to an electrical shock.

Why are electric shock fatalities more prevalent in marinas compared to the ocean? It's due to the conductive nature of saltwater. Ocean water contains salt, which is 50 to 1000 times more conductive than freshwater. While human bodies also contain salt, the amount is less than that found in saltwater, causing an electric current in the ocean to circumvent swimmers. Conversely, freshwater around marinas lacks sufficient salt content, causing the electrical current in the water to utilize the swimmer's body as a pathway to return to the ground.

Electricity infiltrates the water due to faulty wiring or improper grounding of equipment systems near water, commonly found on boats and docks. Examples include the absence of a safety ground, failure to segregate green and white wires, or the installation of green wires where they shouldn't be (reverse polarity).

Why can't swimmers detect the electrical current upon immersion? Electrical faults on boats are sporadic, occurring when onboard equipment is activated, such as air conditioning units, water heaters, or other electrical devices, including routine activities like switching on a light. This unpredictability means water can transition from safe to electrified in an instant, leaving no time for reaction once paralyzed by the current. Current leakage affects approximately 13% of marina boats.

On docks, faulty or aged wiring in shore power equipment and submerged shore power cords introduce an electrical charge into the water. It takes just a fraction of the current equivalent to ⅓ of a lightbulb to cause fatality and about 6V to induce paralysis. Electrical hazards in the water extend beyond boat marinas, affecting houseboats and residences with private docks. Anything floating around the docks, from pets to humans as well as marine life, can be paralyzed by current leakage from docks or boats.

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Ways to mitigate current leakage

There are various methods to address current leakage. One approach is to isolate the shore power system from the boat's power system using an isolation transformer. This device transfers electricity between the boat and shore via a magnetic field generated by electrical current, instead of direct wiring, ensuring any stray current on the boat returns to its source rather than leaking into the water.

Another method, prevalent in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand for the past three decades, involves installing ground fault protection in main feeders and power pedestals. This protection mechanism shuts off current when the output differs from the returning electricity, effectively preventing ESD fatalities.

In the United States, the NFPA mandates ground fault protection devices on docks, tripping at 100 mA or lower. However, retrofitting and maintaining these devices in large marinas is costly and challenging, as they necessitate monthly testing and are prone to nuisance trips in the marine environment.

The ABYC has incorporated ground fault protection into its E-11 electrical standard, mandating newly constructed vessels adhere to Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupters (ELCIs) that trip at 30 mA. But what about older boats?

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The VoltSafe Marine Solution

VoltSafe offers a solution. VoltSafe Marine consists of a marine shore power magnetic electrical connector and pedestal system paired with an innovative dashboard for the marina operator as well as an companion boat owner app, addressing various shore power safety concerns, including arc elimination and current leakage detection. With VoltSafe Marine's robust app, the aim is to detect hidden corrosion and notify boat owners and marinas of potential current leaks via the accompanying software. The aspiration is for VoltSafe Marine to become the safety standard, mirroring the success seen in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand in eliminating electrical shock drownings.

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VoltSafe's CTO(Chief Technology Officer), Sanad Aridah, has been actively engaging with members of the ABYC to understand their challenges and discuss how VoltSafe Marine could enhance boating safety. VoltSafe Marine aims to minimize dock damage, prevent fires from concealed corrosion, streamline moorage management and billing, and contribute to the early detection and reduction of current leakage in the effort to save lives. In the marine industry, stakeholders, from boaters to marinas and insurers, eagerly anticipate VoltSafe Marine becoming the standard across North America and beyond. Several marinas are currently participating in the pilot program in order to provide feedback from first hand experience and assist in getting VoltSafe Marine to the commercial ready stage. 

If you own or operate a marina and seek to enhance safety for boat owners, reach out to us at marine@voltsafe.com. If you don’t own a marina but would like to invest in VoltSafe, simply reach out at invest@voltsafe.com

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