Ecuador takes national approach to fight marine biofouling

Maritime officials in Ecuador have reached an agreement concerning a national information network aimed at connecting ports, vessel operators and environmental authorities to help address the rising issue(s) of biofouling.

The development is reportedly one of a set of ‘vital’ outcomes that stemmed from a recent workshop delivered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and held together with the Maritime Technology Cooperation Center Caribbean (MTCC Caribbean) as well as the Armada del Ecuador.

The event was held in Malta, Ecuador at the very beginning of October.

According to officials from the IMO, the workshop was held as part of the IMO-NOARD TEST biofouling project, which is a worldwide initiative that is focused on providing support to developing countries so that they can bolster their capacity to manage biofouling (defined as the unwanted accumulation of aquatic organisms on ships’ hulls), prevent the transfer of invasive aquatic species (IAS) and cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from vessels.

As elaborated, IMO–Norad TEST Biofouling National Demonstration Pilot gathering saw “renewed commitment” among maritime authorities, port administrators, research institutions and industry stakeholders, all of whom pledged to work closely together to promote environmentally sound biofouling management practices in line with the IMO’s “Biofouling Guidelines”.

Per IMO, the workshop included discussions regarding energy efficiency, as well. What is more, during the three-day event, participants received hands-on training in biofouling risk assessment and in-water inspection methodologies.

As informed, MTCC Caribbean and the IMO are to continue supporting capacity development and knowledge sharing as Ecuador—which previously hosted an international workshop that was co-organized by IMO’s GloFouling Partnerships Project, in the Galapagos Islands—examines next steps to make sure lessons from the workshop can be ‘well incorporated’ into future capacity-building efforts.

As the maritime industry sharpens its focus on the net zero by (or around) 2050 target, biofouling has been placed under the spotlight as one of the most pressing matters to address.

A June 2023 report published by Norway-based marine coatings manufacturer Jotun emphasized the urgency of the issue, revealing that 1 out of 4 players in the industry knew ‘very little’ about biofouling and its environmental impact.

Furthermore, in January this year, researchers from the Swedish KTH Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) underscored that a critical factor to tackle the effects of biofouling was timing.

In the institute’s report, Cornelius Wittig, a PhD student in fluid mechanics at KTH, warned that a vessel with a thin biofilm could experience an increase in fuel consumption of up to 80% as a result of this ecological danger.

In this sense, with mounting evidence of its environmental and economic toll, biofouling is no longer a niche concern, but an emerging and decisive front in shipping’s race toward climate neutrality.

• Barnacle biofouling can hurt decarbonization efforts of global shipping fleet, new study shows
• Controlling the hidden financial and environmental costs of biofouling
• The global biofouling challenge calls for new technology
• Biofouling becomes a big issue after idling ships grow by 100 pct since 2009