Recent Trend of New Antifouling Paint Development and Related Regulations

IMO adopted a revision of MARPOL Annex VI to establish the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new build vessels in July 2011. Evaluation of Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) just after drydock and annual evaluation of Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rating have been also in force by revision of same treaty in January 2023. Performance of new build vessel and repair vessel evaluated more precisely and need to satisfy the levels defined in the clause of treaty. Surface roughness of antifouling paints affect significantly for ship performance especially for old vessels. To prevent the performance deterioration by attaching the marine organisms (fouling), proper use of antifouling paint is very important. Revised AFS treaty for restriction of biocide cybutryne have also been came into force in 2023. This is first alternative biocide which is restricted after tributyltin compounds. In this article recent new antifouling paints technologies and utilization of information technologies for practical use of antifouling technology which are developed to cope with recent international treaties are introduced.