2022 achievements of the GloFouling Partnerships project is thanks to many stakeholders and partners of the project, who work tirelessly towards a collective goal of implementing the IMO biofouling and other relevant guidelines for biofouling management. With the overall objectives to protect marine biodiversity and decarbonize shipping. Project coordination unit expresses sincere appreciation to all those who contributed. |
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The impact of Biofouling on GHG emissions |
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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships is to reduce the total annual GHG emissions from international shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. In support of this goal, the Global Industry Alliance (GIA) for Marine Biosafety has commissioned a study to analyse the impact of ships’ biofouling on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions. The study found that under certain conditions, keeping ships’ hulls free from just a thin layer of slime could reduce a ship’s GHG emissions by up to 25 per cent (see full report). To showcase the findings of this report and share the knowledge, the GIA also commissioned the development of the above short animation. |
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2nd R&D Forum presented state of affairs on biofouling management |
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The forum saw 180 participants and presenters joining in person. Twelve sessions were held over four days at IMO HQ in October to debate and share knowledge about the most pressing areas facing the maritime biofouling sector, including already available and testing technologies for managing biofouling; Environmental and economic impacts as well as best management practices in shipping and other sectors, such as renewable energy, aquaculture and recreational boating. Watch a short summary of the event below and to read full news item see here. When the proceedings will be published in 2023 here. |
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The 3rd GloFouling Partnerships Forum and Exhibition will be hosted by the Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean engineering (KRISO), Republic of Korea, in 2024. Look out for ‘Call for Abstracts’ announcement on www.glofouling.imo.org. |
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As part of its busy fourth quarter of 2022, the project published seven publications on various aspects of biofouling management. This included a pack of three guides aimed at assisting governments and interested stakeholders to minimize the risk of IAS transferred through biofouling, by: conducting national status assessments to identify pathways, gaps and needs (Guide 1); assessing the economic costs and benefits of biofouling management to minimize the introduction of IAS (Guide 2); developing and adopting national biofouling strategies and action plans to minimize the introduction of IAS via biofouling (Guide 3). The project’s Global Industry Alliance (GIA) for Marine Biosafety commissioned two studies with findings published in report format. The first was the impact of ships’ biofouling on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, which found that keeping ships’ hulls free from just a thin layer of slime could reduce a ship’s GHG emissions by 25% (as outlined in the animation above). The second analyses the current and emerging regulatory environment for biofouling management. Ship’s hulls are only one out of seven potential pathways for introduction of IAS via biofouling. The project published two reports analysing the best biofouling management practices in Aquaculture Industry and Recreational Boating. |
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Tackling IAS introduced via biofouling – GloFouling Partnerships Task Force reviews progress |
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The Global Project Task Force (GPTF) of the IMO-executed GloFouling Partnerships project met for its second meeting in April at IMO HQ. Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the project moved many activities online and completed a number of reports since the first task force meeting in 2019. Looking ahead, the Project has been extended to 2025. For a full list of all LPCs and RCOs achievements since 2019 read the full news item here. |
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National and Regional progress |
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National. Since the GPTF meeting the GloFouling Partnerships project has expanded its outreach by welcoming Panama as one of its beneficiary countries from the Central and South America region. While Lead Partnering Countries have committed to developing national biofouling management assessments and strategies, increase their expertise and lead the way in their respective regions with the support of the Project. Partnering Countries, including Panama, build their capacities by participating, with the support of the Project, in regional activities to keep abreast of latest developments, learn from experiences gained from the Lead Partnering Countries, and contribute to regional policy discussions led by the Project’s Regional Coordinating Organizations. Full news item here. The main goal of the project is to build capacity in its beneficiary countries for implementing the IMO Biofouling and other relevant guidelines for biofouling management and to catalyse overall reductions in the transboundary introduction of biofouling-mediated IAS with additional benefits in the reduction of GHG emissions from global shipping. Mauritius and Brazil has come one step closer to this goal by carrying out the Project's developed general training course on biofouling management to its key stakeholders. |
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Regional. Three project's Regional Coordinating Organizations (RCOs) have carried out their Regional Task Force meetings to help building capacity in their own regions. This meant that CPPS, PEMSEA and PERSGA regions have come one step closer to the development of regional biofouling management strategy, for some of which it is only awaiting the council's approval. |
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Global Industry Alliance (GIA) for Marine Biosafety |
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The GIA has marked another successful year with many accomplishments. The alliance expanded by welcoming four new members just in the last year alone. KCC Corporation joined at the beginning of the year, when JSTRA, Jotun and Armach Robotics were the last three to join and triple the GIA membership since it's launch in June 2020, with current number of members being 12 plus one with an observer status. The alliance held four productive meetings in the year. During the last one not only that Mr. Yusik Kim of TAS GLOBAL handed over his reign as the chair of the alliance to a newly elected Mr. Simon Doran of Hullwiper. But also had a very successful launch of the animation and approved a production of the documentary. For full news item read here. For further information on how to join this initiative, contact:
GloFouling Partnerships Project Technical Manager lkhodjet@imo.org/glofouling@imo.org |
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The Project delivered two webinars in 2022 focusing more on the available solutions. All past webinars are available on-demand, click on the link to learn more about the webinars and watch the recording of each topic.
If you are interested in participating and/or presenting in our webinars, please contact us via glofouling@imo.org
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Upcoming GloFouling activities |
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The two main activities that the project is planning for 2023 is Arab Women in Maritime - Biofouling Management Workshop, which will see participants from the Arab countries in North Africa and the Middle East regions getting together in Jeddah (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) to achieve the project's goal of implementing SDG5 (Gender Equality) aspect by focusing specifically on women. It will create an empowering space for reducing existing disparities in maritime administrations, the scientific community, and the private sector. And carry out the workshop on improving marine biosecurity in Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA). It is planned to take place in Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) as a demonstration site and international workshop on prevention, early detection and rapid response to invasive aquatic species transferred through biofouling on ships. It will bring together a small group of international experts and decision makers of Leading Partnering Countries, regulatory bodies, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other organizations and agencies that have an active participation in marine protected areas. |
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Congratulations for reaching the end of this newsletter. There are a lot of activities still to implement before end of the project in May 2025, but for now.. Wishing you all a very happy festive season! From our GloFouling family to yours |
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