Debris capture during in-water cleaning of ship biofouling

Ship biofouling interferes with vessel operations and spreads non-indigenous species. While in-water cleaning (IWC) with debris capture is increasingly promoted as a management strategy, key elements remain poorly defined, including which materials must be collected, an acceptable level of capture, and how capture can be quantified. Although the processing efficacy of collected debris can be assessed, because IWC occurs in an open, dynamic system, measurement of overall capture efficiency is not feasible. Thus, ambiguous ‘capture’ requirements risk inconsistent performance, unnecessary costs, and barriers to innovation. Instead, regulations should emphasize measurable outcomes (e.g., acceptable levels of change in water quality indicators) rather than mandating specific methods. This outcome-based approach would better ensure that IWC supports ship operational efficiency while minimizing biosecurity and environmental contamination risks.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Frontiers in Marine Science

• Publication date

  2025-11-19

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fmars.2025.1702855
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Past, present and (possible) future of biofouling regulatory instruments within the international marine environmental protection framework

  2025cited by this paper
• Biological testing of ships’ ballast water indicates challenges for the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention

  2024cited by this paper
• Review of recent process developments in the field of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from power plants flue gases and the future perspectives

  2024cited by this paper
• Estimating total microplastic loads to the marine environment as a result of ship biofouling in-water cleaning

  2024cited by this paper
• Resistance and speed penalty of a naval ship with hull roughness

  2024cited by this paper
• Development of capture efficacy test method for in-water cleaning system using artificial barnacles

  2024cited by this paper
• Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Technologies: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Advanced CCUS Solutions for Reducing CO2 Emissions

  2024cited by this paper
• Balancing the consequences of in-water cleaning of biofouling to improve ship efficiency and reduce biosecurity risk

  2023cited by this paper
• Design and redesign of a bottom trawl survey in Chesapeake Bay, USA

  2023cited by this paper
• Metals and suspended solids in the effluents from in-water hull cleaning by remotely operated vehicle (ROV): Concentrations and release rates into the marine environment.

  2023cited by this paper
• Assessment of the economic, environmental and safety impact of biofouling on a ship's hull and propeller

  2023cited by this paper
• The Effect of Grooming on Five Commercial Antifouling Coatings

  2022cited by this paper
• Advances in particulate matter filtration: Materials, performance, and application

  2022cited by this paper
• Understanding the potential release of microplastics from coatings used on commercial ships

  2022cited by this paper
• Advances in particulate matter filtration: Materials, performance, and application

  2022cited by this paper
• The influence of trawl efficiency assumptions on survey-based population metrics

  2021cited by this paper
• The Role of Vessel Biofouling in the Translocation of Marine Pathogens: Management Considerations and Challenges

  2021cited by this paper
• Technical Considerations for Development of Policy and Approvals for In-Water Cleaning of Ship Biofouling

  2021influential reference
• Trends in the detection of aquatic non-indigenous species across global marine, estuarine and freshwater ecosystems: A 50-year perspective

  2020cited by this paper
• In-Water Cleaning and Capture to Remove Ship Biofouling: An Initial Evaluation of Efficacy and Environmental Safety

  2020cited by this paper
• Impact of biofilm on the resistance characteristics and nominal wake

  2020cited by this paper
• Vessel In-Water Cleaning or Treatment: Identification of Environmental Risks and Science Needs for Evidence-Based Decision Making

  2019cited by this paper
• Economic and Environmental Impact Trade‐Offs Related to In‐Water Hull Cleanings of Merchant Vessels

  2018cited by this paper
• A rapid technique to determine performance and efficiency of activated carbon water filters

  2018cited by this paper
• A history of ship specialization and consequences for marine invasions, management and policy

  2018cited by this paper
• Invasion history and vector dynamics in coastal marine ecosystems: A North American perspective

  2015cited by this paper
• Fouling around: vessel sea-chests as a vector for the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species

  2014cited by this paper
• A review of integrated analysis in fisheries stock assessment

  2013cited by this paper
• Antifouling strategies: history and regulation, ecological impacts and mitigation.

  2011cited by this paper
• Economic impact of biofouling on a naval surface ship

  2011cited by this paper
• Effects of coating roughness and biofouling on ship resistance and powering

  2007cited by this paper
• The Ship Hull Fouling Penalty

  2003cited by this paper
• Ships' sea-chests: an overlooked transfer mechanism for non-indigenous marine species?

  2003cited by this paper

• No citing papers are available for this paper.