BUCKSPORT — Two coastal communities are looking for answers after paint that was applied to steel pilings lasted for a far shorter time than it was supposed to have lasted.

Both Bucksport and Castine had work done on steel pilings at their respective waterfronts in 2010. In each case, a “multipurpose epoxy coating” known as Bar-Rust 233H was applied to steel pilings.

In Bucksport, steel so-called “H-pilings” that are part of the town dock were painted; in Castine, according to Town Manager Dale Abernathy, the project involved about 300 linear feet of steel sheet pilings that form a bulkhead.

In both cases, the subcontractor who did the work was Andrew Jeffrey of the Virginia-based company Industrial Protection Services (IPS).

In Castine, Jeffrey worked as a subcontractor for Rockland-based Prock Marine Co. and in Bucksport he worked as a subcontractor for Woolwich-based Atlantic Mechanical Inc.

Abernathy said Castine town officials first noticed a problem when doing a one-year warranty inspection. It was discovered that some of the paint was peeling and coming off the steel at that time.

In a letter dated June 29, 2011, Jeffrey said he had inspected the peeling paint on the pilings in Bucksport.

Jeffrey said IPS had completed its work in early November of 2010. In his review, Jeffrey said he found the manufacturer had changed its product data sheet shortly after the work was completed.

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