The Marine Corrosion Test Site “El Bocal” (MCTS “El Bocal”) is a Marine Laboratory placed in open water and located at the shoreline of the Cantabrian coast, few kilometers away from Santander, whose main purpose is to test, study and analyze the behavior of different materials and coatings against marine biofouling and corrosion.

The facility has been designed to test specimens under realistic conditions of exposure in any of the three different exposure zones (submerged, tidal and splash). In addition to materials and coatings, pieces of other components with marine requirements, such as fishing nets, ropes, steel wires offshore chains or materials for aquaculture cages can be placed and tested.

The development of this facility has been possible due to the collaboration between CTC and the Marine Culture Centre of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), who have signed an agreement to use it.

This laboratory has been funded in 2013 INNPULSA Call through the Government of Cantabria and FEDER founds.