Modern Approaches to the Development of Marine Antifouling Coatings

Abstract

At present, 75–80% of the current operating costs of conventional transport are expended for fuel. According to the International Maritime Organization, the world fleet burns 300 million tons of fuel annually, releasing into the atmosphere 960 million tons of СО₂ and 9 million tons of SO₂. As a result of fouling, the speed of ships may decrease by 50%. By 2020, without new technologies that reduce fuel consumption, air emissions can grow 40%, taking into account constantly increasing volumes of traffic. Therefore, defense methods against marine overgrowth are an urgent topic, and many leading firms are developing antifouling solutions. The paper considers the main means of protection against fouling with the help of polymer coatings, namely, contact active coatings, nonleaching coatings, self-polishing coatings, and non-biocidal coatings. The mechanism of using polymer coatings, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, is described.