The maritime transport sector is highlighting key environmental challenges such as the growing volume of waste generated in ports and the impact of biofouling on vessels. This phenomenon, caused by the accumulation of marine organisms on ship hulls and other submerged structures, increases friction with water, raises fuel consumption and leads to higher pollutant emissions.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
To address this challenge, ENDFOULING has been launched, a Valencian project involving the Plastics Technology Centre AIMPLAS together with BiotechVana, Fundación
Valenciaport and Seroil Valencia. The initiative seeks to transform organic waste generated in port environments into new sustainable solutions capable of protecting vessels and improving the efficiency of maritime transport.
According to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), around 9% of the fuel consumed by ships is related to the effect of marine biofouling. In addition, this increase in energy consumption may generate between 80 and 90 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
ENDFOULING is investigating how to valorize organic waste generated from port activities in order to obtain new bio-based additives that help prevent the formation of these marine encrustations on vessels and other marine structures.
The project is based on circular economy principles, as it proposes converting waste that would normally be discarded into new value-added materials for the maritime sector. In addition to improving waste management, the initiative aims to reduce the environmental impact associated with both port activities and vessel maintenance.
New Sustainable Solutions for the Maritime Sector
Several solutions currently exist to combat biofouling, although many of them present limitations or rely on chemical components. ENDFOULING is committed to developing biologically based alternatives that can be integrated into materials used in vessels to provide more durable and sustainable protection.
To achieve this, the project is working on the development of solutions based on enzymes and microorganisms capable of hindering the formation of marine encrustations from their earliest stages. Artificial intelligence and bioinformatics tools are also being used to optimize the behavior and effectiveness of these compounds.
Another area of work focuses on developing protection systems that enable these biological additives to be incorporated into plastic materials intended for the maritime sector without losing their activity. In this field, AIMPLAS contributes its expertise in materials and advanced manufacturing processes.
The project also includes the design of prototypes and testing under real conditions to evaluate the performance of the developed solutions on vessels and marine structures.
Fewer Emissions and Protection of the Marine Environment
ENDFOULING aims to contribute to a more efficient and environmentally friendly maritime transport system. Reducing the appearance of biofouling on vessels can not only decrease fuel consumption and pollutant emissions but also improve the maintenance and service life of marine structures.
Furthermore, the project aligns with European strategies related to sustainability, circular economy principles, and the reduction of plastic waste and microplastics in marine environments.
Through this initiative, the participating organizations seek to promote innovative solutions that make better use of resources generated in ports and move towards a more sustainable maritime model.
ENDFOULING is a project funded by the Valencian Institute for Business
Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) under the 2024 call for Strategic Cooperative Projects, an initiative aimed at promoting the development of innovative and sustainable solutions in strategic sectors for the Valencian Community.