Representatives of the founding industry members CleanSubSea, ECOsubsea, HullWiper and Sonihull as well as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) attended an online meeting to formally inaugurate the partnership on 8 June. Further companies are expected to join the alliance.

IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said the new partnership will put together all maritime sectors in seeking solutions to two main environmental problems facing our world – marine biodiversity conservation and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

The current GIA will promote the development of approaches to enhance marine biofouling control, which is the production of aquatic species on ship hulls or underwater structures such as platforms and aquaculture facilities.

The new marine biosafety alliance brings together private sector firms from various biofouling-affected industries, including shipping, aquaculture, offshore oil and gas and renewable ocean energies. These maritime champions will collaborate with the GloFouling Partnerships Project.

Jose Matheickal, head of IMO’s Department for Partnerships and Projects, said that “this alliance is about the collective pioneering efforts by all maritime industries in undertaking the fight against invasive species and all the creativity and innovations that are being brought to the table to develop technological solutions. Forging such an alliance among the current four founding partners lays the foundations of a potentially very large global partnership among maritime industry players.” 

Maritime Business World