Project description
An eco-friendly coating keeps microorganisms in their natural environment
Boats carry more than their intended cargo and passengers. Over time, the hulls are colonised by natural organisms that damage them, in addition to increasing drag, and leading to increased costs, fuel and emissions as well as delays and loss in productivity. Current biocide coating solutions are highly effective – but at a cost to the environment. Further, they often require priming and can only be removed with abrasive approaches, potentially damaging the hull. The EU-funded ABIO project is bringing its first-ever non-biocidal anti-fouling coating to market. Equally effective, it is completely safe for humans and marine ecosystems, easy to apply and gentle on the hull. Repairs and reapplication can even be done underwater.
Objective
Boat hulls submerged in both sea- and fresh-water environments are gradually colonised by natural organisms, a process called biofouling. Biofouling represents a significant problem for boat and ship operations, as it damages hulls, increases water drag leading to loss of manoeuvrability, delays in shipping and increased fuel consumption, inevitably increasing greenhouse emissions by up to 40%. Current antifouling products are most commonly biocidal, due to their 97% efficacy. These biocides accumulate in the environment and contain components harmful to humans and marine eco-systems in high quantities. Many biocides are gradually being banned in the EU. Although non-biocidal alternatives exist in the form of foul-release agents, these methods have limited efficacy. We, Acorros, have developed ABIO, the first non-biocidal antifouling coating, combining repellence with release to give 97% efficacy up to 2 years! ABIO is harmless to the marine and human environment and requires 44-56% less coating than existing solutions. ABIO readily adheres to hulls without the need for primers and can be removed using a high-pressure water hose, avoiding abrasion or sanding. ABIO offers effective savings in paint and labour costs of up to €720 per application per 10 m boat, in addition to being gentle on the hull and thus preserving its integrity for longer. ABIO can be used in salt- or fresh-water environments and on all hull types: steel, fibreglass, aluminium, wood, and rubber. Minor repairs/reapplication are uniquely possible underwater. ABIO, our most commercially-ready and innovative solution, is a first-mover in effective non-biocidal antifouling coatings, at a time when growth in the antifouling coatings industry is being slowed down by incoming regulations on biocides. We will enter this market via the recreational boating segment, expecting to sell through dealers and wholesalers to achieve a market share of 2.5% by 2025, by reaching 150,000 boat owners at 2,000 marinas.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
8053 GRAZ
Austria
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.