29 November 2018
Partnership Aims to Combat Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species through Ships’ Hulls
UN Photo/Kibae Park
story highlights

The GloFouling Partnerships project will support implementation of the IMO ‘Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling’.

The project will focus on 12 countries: Brazil; Ecuador; Fiji; Indonesia; Jordan; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mexico; Peru; the Philippines; Sri Lanka; and Tonga.

26 November 2018: The Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) launched a project to tackle the negative environmental impacts of the transfer of aquatic species through ships. The initiative will help implement the IMO Guidelines for the control and management of ships’ biofouling.

Invasive aquatic marine organisms have negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems health as well as on fisheries, aquaculture and ocean energy. In press releases, both UNDP and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) stressed the importance of addressing invasive aquatic species to ensure the health and integrity of marine ecosystems as well as to safeguard ecosystem services that sustain the livelihoods of coastal communities. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) will support the GEF, UNDP and IMO in developing best practices to biofoul management and increase awareness of the environmental challenges of invasive aquatic species.

Cleaner hulls will result in energy efficiency gains and support climate change mitigation goals.

The ‘GloFouling Partnerships’ project will support implementation of the IMO ‘Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling.’ The Guidelines provide a globally consistent approach to controlling and managing biofouling to minimize the transfer of aquatic organisms on ships’ underwater hulls and on other mobile marine infrastructure. The project aims to develop standards and best practices for improved biofouling management.

The GloFouling Partnerships project will focus on 12 countries: Brazil; Ecuador; Fiji; Indonesia; Jordan; Madagascar; Mauritius; Mexico; Peru; the Philippines; Sri Lanka; and Tonga. The project will support national-level governance reforms in these countries through capacity-building opportunities and trainings on invasive species. The project will also facilitate opportunities for technology adoption to combat invasive species, including through partnerships with the private sector.

IMO’s Director of the Marine Environment Division, Hiroyuki Yamada, said the project will help to implement the IMO Guidelines and deliver essential contributions to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He further underscored the benefits of biofouling management to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, explaining that cleaner hulls will result in energy efficiency gains and support climate change mitigation goals. [UNESCO-IOC Press Release] [UNDP Press Release]

related posts