Ship fouling: problems and solutions

The historical development of antifouling technologies is outlined together with the modern types of antifouling paints, organisms found on the coatings, the effects of copper and organo-tin on algal metabolism and adhesion of algae and slimes. Alternative approaches are also considered: with the uncertain future of tributyltin antifoulings and the high cost of testing new biocides for approval the future may lie in non-biocidal antifouling systems, e.g. using low energy coatings such as fluoropolymers of silicones to prevent attachment of fouling organisms.