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During 1998 & 1999, the LimnoMar Research Institute carried
out tests which were funded by the German Environmental Foundation
and coordinated by the WWF in Germany. A variety of non-toxic
antifouling paints were used, including silicone-based non-stick,
self-polishing, anticorrosive, hydroviscous and micro-fibre
coatings. Biocide-leaching paints served as controls.
Various vessels were selected (such as passenger vessels
from various shipping lines and the research vessel Buise),
taking into account their range, speed, days at sea, and the
different waters they were lying and operating in.
All vessels were applied with test paints, some with stripes
and others with their complete hulls coated.
All vessels were inspected regularly every two months, and
taken into account was the composition and development of
fouling, main type of fouling organisms, dry weight of said
fouling, adhesion of barnacles and actual condition of coatings.
Results were:
Adhesion of fouling on silicone-based non-stick coatings,
including barnacles, was basically reduced, but these coatings
appeared to be more effective on fast moving passenger vessels
than the slower ones with a higher percentage of their time
spent in harbors. Although the silicone coatings in general
proved to be highly resistant to impact, both performance
and durability was closely related to the quality of the actual
application. Teflon based non-stick coatings gave a poor performance.
The self-polishing coatings, used mainly on fast moving vessels,
proved fairly effective, but this type of coating has to be
renewed every year. The non-abrasive coating was not suitable
for use in seawater cleaning of the hull during vessel movement
proved ineffective.
A patrol vessel, coated with anticorrosive paint, was covered
with a biofilm of minuscule forms of macro and microalgae,
which were easily removed. Themicro-fiber coating proved to
give the best results of all, offering protection against
fouling of barnacles. This coating had the same results as
the biocide-leaching antifouling paints, but in an environmentally
friendly way.
A B C D E
The reddish area is covered with barnacles (antifouling
from one of leading paint companies).
A, C & D -- Silicon Paints
B & E -- SealCoat
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