Mejia cites output of workshop to control ‘biofouling’ on ships

Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia Jr. said the ‘National Workshop on the 2011 Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships; Biofouling to Minimize the Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species’ held last June 22-23 at Hotel H20 in Manila was very informative and useful to the 45 participants representing MARINA, IMO-NORAD, DOTC, Office of the President of the Philippines (OP), PPA, PCG, DENR, BFAR, CCC, PMMA, MAAP, Keppel Subic and Tsuneishi Cebu shipyards, among other stakeholders.

“The information they gained from the workshop is lifetime education and a reservoir of knowledge on ships’ biofouling, how to control it, and manner of implementing anti-fouling methods,” he said.

Biofouling is the accumulation of aquatic organisms such a microorganisms, plants, algae, and animals on surfaces and structures immersed in or exposed to the aquatic environment. Biofouling is also known as “hull-fouling.”

Mejia said the participants were enlightened by the lectures and position papers presented at the two-day workshop by the distinguished resource speakers: Mr. Markus Helavouri, technical officer of Sub-Division for Protective Measures, Marine Environment Division of International Maritime Organization (IMO), and Mr. Colin Anderson, director for research and development of American Chemel Corp., who is IMO consultant.

Lauding point persons from Marina and IMO for the successful and productive workshop that served as venue for healthy discussions and productive interactions, he said it was a venue that provided practical procedures ‘to minimize biofouling on ships’ that would be useful and practical guidelines to States, ship masters, shipbuilders, ship owners and operators, ship repair, dry-docking and recycling facility managers. Gainers from the workshop also included ship cleaning and maintenance operators, ship designers, classification societies, anti-fouling paint manufacturers and suppliers, as well as other concerned or interested parties as the workshop presented measures to ’minimize’ the risk of transferring invasive aquatic species from ships’ biofouling.

Marina directors Ramon Hernandez (SRS) and Arsenio Lingad II (DSS) said the workshop delved on effective biofouling management procedures, and make these environmentally safe, practical and well designed to ‘minimize costs’ and ‘delays’ ton the ship, and whenever possible, must be based upon the Guidelines.

Directors Hernandez and Lingad, together with Engrs. Daniel Reyes and Ma. Teresa D. Mamisao said members-states of IMO, including the Philippines, during the adoption of Internatiional Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments in 2004, made a clear commitment to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species by shipping. Studies showed that biofouling on ships entering the waters of Sates may result in the establishment of invasive aquatic species which may pose threat to human, animal and plant life, economic and cultural activities and the aquatic environment.

According to the workshop reports, “Anti-fouling systems and operational practices are the ‘primary means’ of biofouling prevention and control for existing ships’ submerged surfaces, including the hull and niche areas. An anti-fouling system can be a ‘coating’ system applied to exposed surfaces, biofouling resistant materials used for piping and other unpainted components, marine growth prevention systems (MGPSs) for ‘sea chests’ and internal seawater cooling systems, or other innovative measures to control biofouling.