Ocean Technologies Group Introduces Biofouling Management Best Practices E-Learning

Ocean Technologies Group (OTG), the global leader in maritime human capital management solutions and operational technologies, launches a new e-learning title: Biofouling Management. This release addresses the increasing need for biofouling control for both compliance and operational efficiency.

As regulatory scrutiny around biofouling intensifies, and the IMO's Biofouling Management guidelines, while not mandatory, are increasingly being supplemented by national legislation, this release comes at a critical time. Several states have already introduced laws that have resulted in ships with fouled hulls being banned from their waters.

Managing biofouling is also critical to minimising fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An IMO study into the "Impact of Ships' Biofouling on Greenhouse Gas Emissions" reported that "a layer of slime as thin as 0.5mm covering up to 50% of a hull surface can trigger an increase in GHG emissions in the range of 30-25%".