Event summary: Marine Biofouling Webinars

Jointly organised by the National Biofilm Innovation Centre UK (NBIC UK), Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Singapore National Biofilm Consortium (SNBC) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

The event was supported by the Singapore’s National Mirror Working Group for Anti-Fouling and Ballast Water Treatment (NMWG AF & BWT), and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation – Standards Development Organisation (SMF-SDO). The NMWG AF & BWT represents Singapore in the development of selected International Standards under the ISO/TC 8 Ships and Marine Technology as well as the ISO/TC 8/SC 2/WG 5 Anti-fouling systems on ships.

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Biofouling control on vessel hulls is receiving plenty of attention with recent changes in commercial vessel activity patterns, together with an increasing spotlight on vessel efficiency, fuel consumption, and bio-security. However, increasing pressure to decrease the reliance on biocides in antifouling coatings is providing antifouling coating manufacturers with both compliance issues and technology development opportunities.

This series of webinars is designed to inform cross-sector participants on the challenges faced under the current regulatory framework for producing efficacious antifouling coatings, as well as explore novel antifouling technology development opportunities under this legislation. Bringing together antifouling technology users and developers, these webinars present an ideal platform to discuss new ideas and concepts, with the potential for future collaborative projects on marine biofilm control technologies, either directly funded or via applications to funding bodies such as Innovate UK, National Research Foundation (Singapore), NBIC UK and SNBC, Singapore.

Event 1: Biocide use in antifouling coatings – the regulatory framework (Monday 12th Oct, 2020)

Guest speakers: Tomoyoshi Chiba, from Chugoku Marine Paints (Japan); Geoff Mackrill, Teamac Marine Paints (UK)

Event 2: The challenges and opportunities of antifouling biocide regulations – An industrial perspective (Monday 26th Oct, 2020)

Guest speakers: Neil Oxtoby (AkzoNobel International Paint Ltd); Gareth Prowse (Hempel)

Event 3: Biofilm control – what’s next? (Monday 16th Nov, 2020)

Short technical updates from a range of technology developers and researchers providing an opportunity to learn about new marine biofilm control approaches and technologies.