Chemical mapping and hazard assessment of marine hull coatings on the EU market

Marine hull coatings are applied onto ship and yacht hulls to protect them from biofouling and abrasion. As these degrade with time, they may cause adverse effects on the marine environment. In this study, hull topcoats from six major manufacturers on the EU market were categorized and assessed for inherent hazard using a practical product-level assessment approach based on chemical information disclosed in safety data sheets. Biocide-containing coatings were found to dominate both segments, representing 83% of ship coatings and 88% of yacht coatings, and were significantly more hazardous than biocide-free alternatives. The calculated hazard varied substantially between biocidal products and found to depend on the type and number of biocides included in the formulation. While biocides accounted for the majority of the environmental hazard of biocidal products, 95% in ship products and 70% in yacht products, additional hazardous substances were identified in both biocidal and biocide-free products, along with their functional roles and substitution potential. These findings offer valuable insights for future regulatory and industrial practices aimed at improving the sustainability in marine coatings.