Again a great success: Antifouling conference on Norderney, including biofouling excursion

In mid-September, around 50 experts gathered in Norderney to participate in this year's edition of the Antifouling Conference, which included a biofouling excursion. The technical presentations were met with keen interest from participants representing industry, research, associations, and government agencies.

In his introductory presentation, Bernd Daehne from Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion highlighted the current problem that improved climate protection through toxic coatings and cleaning leads to poorer marine protection. The experts on Norderney addressed precisely this current global development. Biocides alone are no longer sufficient to achieve the goal of climate neutrality for shipping by 2050. As a result, underwater coatings are increasingly being cleaned, releasing more biocides and microplastics into the oceans.

However, there were also many promising solutions: Dr. Gunnar Kleist and Heike Schimmelpfennig from Dr. Brill Regulatory Services explained that four of the ten currently approved antifouling biocides will soon no longer be permitted because no extension has been applied for. Three manufacturers presented non-toxic hard coatings that must and may be cleaned, provided that approval has been obtained from the local authorities. At present, this is still often a stumbling block in both the recreational boating and commercial shipping sectors. The BSH and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) as federal authorities, and the Bremen Environment Senate as a state authority, must and want to create framework conditions for the local authorities on site. Research is also being conducted on cleaning systems. A mobile cleaning robot for merchant ships during voyages and a car wash for recreational boats from Switzerland were presented.

Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion is conducting valuable research in this area. Soyla Kraus and Elena Perabo from Hydrotox presented the BioSHIP project, in which new coatings are being developed in collaboration with partners Fraunhofer IFAM, Momentive Performance Materials, and Hydrotox that contain more biodegradable substances and thus release fewer biocides and microplastics. Technical Director Lukas Kuhn presented a new laboratory method that can be used to predict the abrasion of coatings through underwater cleaning more accurately. This is also an important factor for the service life of the coatings and thus for the necessary shipyard intervals.

The conference was once again organized jointly by Dr. Brill + Partner Institute for Antifouling and Biocorrosion, the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN), the GreenShipping Lower Saxony initiative, and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). This year's second edition of the conference also saw the German Sailing Association (DSV) and the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) come on board.

The venue was appropriately the FRISIA X, a ferry operated by AG Reederei Norden-Frisia, which first participated in trials of environmentally friendly ship coatings before the turn of the millennium. A varied supporting program and plenty of time for networking made the event even more attractive.

Organizers and participants alike praised the successful event, which is to be repeated in 2026. To stay informed, sign up for our DR. BRILL INSTITUTE newsletter, as the number of participants is always limited and the conference was quickly booked up.

All further information on this year's Antifouling Conference on Norderney, including the biofouling excursion, can be found HERE.