Aluminum Breakwaters: A Sustainable Solution for Coastal Protection and Marina Infrastructure
MAADI Group’s innovative aluminum breakwaters, featured in Light Metal Age, exemplify a significant advancement in sustainable maritime infrastructure, offering scalable protection for vessels and coastlines from Canada to the Caribbean. These systems are designed to minimize seabed disruption, aligning with eco-conscious development goals while enhancing resilience against wave impacts. By setting a new industry standard, MAADI’s technology combines durability, environmental responsibility, and efficiency, signaling a transformative shift in how coastal defenses are engineered in the modern era.
A New Generation of Aluminum-Based Breakwaters
The need for effective, sustainable coastal infrastructure is driving innovation in wave attenuation systems. As traditional stone or concrete breakwaters present environmental and logistical challenges, a new generation of aluminum-based wave attenuators is emerging as a durable and eco-friendly alternative. In particular, the MAADI Group’s aluminum floating breakwater (FB) system represents a major advancement in wave attenuation technology, combining structural efficiency, corrosion resistance, and modularity. These floating breakwaters are engineered to reduce wave impact in marinas and harbors without obstructing natural water flow or marine life movement.
Designed and built in collaboration with TechnomarineTM, the MAADI Group’s aluminum FBs are now protecting coastlines from Canada to the Caribbean. One of the most notable projects is the installation at Old Port Cove Marina, located in North Palm Beach, Florida. Known today as Safe Harbor Old Port Cove, the marina underwent a major transformation, centered around the implementation of a state-of-the-art floating breakwater system designed to withstand high winds and waves. This aluminum wave attenuator protects 143 vessels ranging from 20 to 200 feet, with berths starting at 45 feet, offering enhanced protection while complementing the marina’s clean, modern aesthetic.
The aluminum FB modules use custom extruded hollow profiles engineered for high torsional rigidity and section modulus. These components incorporate internal connection systems and integrated tracks for mounting accessories like cleats, bollards, and ladders. This flexibility makes the system both structurally resilient and functionally adaptable. The FB system is also designed to perform under storm conditions, handling wave heights up to 3 to 5 feet with loading capacity designed at one kip per linear foot. Flexible joints between 40-foot segments allow for controlled movement during hogging and sagging, minimizing stress concentration across the structure.
Lightweight, Eco-Friendly, and Durable
Unlike traditional rock or concrete solutions, which require heavy foundations and disrupt seabed ecosystems, the MAADI system is lightweight, easier to install, and more environmentally considerate. Pilings rather than chains are used to anchor the FBs in shallow water, improving stability and reducing lateral sway. Aluminum’s natural oxide layer adds long-term corrosion protection in harsh marine environments, ensuring a longer service life with lower maintenance requirements.
The Safe Harbor Old Port Cove installation has become a model for sustainable marina infrastructure. As a designated Clean Marina by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Old Port Cove demonstrates how engineered aluminum wave attenuators can provide effective wave attenuation while supporting eco-conscious development. These systems also offer modular scalability, ideal for both temporary and permanent applications in hurricane-prone regions.
Read the full article by Nancy E. Klein featured in Light Metal Age magazine for an in-depth look at this innovative project. *
In summary, aluminum-based floating breakwaters present a high-performance alternative to conventional materials. The MAADI Group’s design, as demonstrated at Old Port Cove Marina, offers an optimal blend of strength, flexibility, and environmental compatibility, setting a new standard for modern wave attenuator systems across North America and the Caribbean.
* Light Metal Age, October 2008, page 57: Aluminum Provides a Better Breakwater Design, by Nancy E. Klein.
