Biofouling management of international vessels
[Image: Hamish Lass, BOP]
The term 'biofouling' refers to the accumulation of living micro-organisms, plants and animals on surfaces that are submerged in, or exposed to, the marine environment. Although most marine vessels use special antifouling coatings to reduce the rate at which biofouling accumulates on their hull, vessel biofouling is still recognised as the main pathway for the introduction of foreign marine species to New Zealand's marine environment. To understand the magnitude of the risk, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) completed a risk analysis in 2011, which examined the types of biofouling species that are likely to be introduced on vessels and the impacts these species may have on our environmental, economic and societal values.
The best approach to managing this pathway is by preventing the entry of biofouling in the first instance. To achieve this, MPI has issued the Craft Risk Management Standard which applies to all international vessels entering New Zealand. This world first standard sets out the requirements that vessel owners must meet to enter New Zealand with a 'clean hull'; one that is free of biofouling. Guidance on how to achieve a 'clean hull' can be found on MPI's website.
For more information
- International measures for the management of ships' biofouling - International Maritime Organization
Additional reading
- Georgiades, E., Growcott, A., Kluza, D. (2018). Technical Guidance on Biofouling Management for Vessels Arriving to New Zealand. MPI Technical paper No: 2018/07. 20 p. ISBN No: 978-1-77665-793-3 [PDF 404 kb]
- Georgiades, E., Kluza, D. (2017). Evidence-Based Decision Making to Underpin the Thresholds in New Zealand's Craft Risk Management Standard: Biofouling on Vessels Arriving to New Zealand. Marine Technology Society Journal 51(2): 76-88. Copyright - The Marine Technology Society, for personal use only, not to be distributed in any format [PDF 418 kb]
- Lewis, J. (2016). Assessment of Preventative Biofouling Management Measures. MPI Technical paper No: 2016/69. 125 p. ISBN No: 978-1-77665-407-9 [PDF 8.7 MB]
- Georgiades, E., Kluza, D. (2014). Science underpinning the thresholds proposed in the CRMS: Biofouling on vessels arriving to New Zealand. MPI Technical paper No: 2014/22. 22 p. ISBN No: 978-0-478-43717-1 [PDF 990 kb]
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Branson, J. (2012) Cost-benefit analysis of proposed import health standard for vessel biofouling. MPI Technical Paper No: 2018/68. 87 p. ISBN No: 978-1-98-857111-9 [PDF 1.4 MB]
- Inglis, G., Floerl, O. (2012). Scenarios of Vessel Biofouling Risk and their Management An evaluation of options. MPI Technical paper No: 2012/07. 126 p. ISBN 978-0-478-38793-3 [PDF 862 kb]
- Piola, R., Conwell, C. (2010). Vessel biofouling as a vector for the introduction of non-indigenous marine species to New Zealand: Fishing vessels. MPI Technical paper No: 2010/11. 61 p. ISBN 978-0-478-37037-9 [PDF 1.65 MB]
- Vessel biofouling as a vector for the introduction of non-indigenous marine species to New Zealand: Slow-moving barges and oil platforms (2010). MPI Technical paper No: 2010/12. 48 p. ISBN 978-0-478-37042-3 [PDF 997 kb]