A barnacle free ship hull is a requirement for clean sea transportation

Keywords:
marine biofouling, ship hull, paint formulation, barnacle, drag

Abstract:
Transportation is of necessity for the global economy and most of the goods are transported by seagoing carriers between the continents but a small crustacean, the barnacle, attached to the hull will increase the fuel consumption by up to 40%. To get rid of barnacles, cuprous oxide is used. We have invented a new method that will be an alternative. Instead of killing barnacles by tons of coprous oxide, we short cut the barnacle larval behaviour by very low amounts of a substance, catemine, a substance that can be degraded. By knowing the biology behind larval behaviour we are able to modulate it; not attaching the hull but instead swim away. When trying to attach the hull, the catemine substance force it to swim away!

Nanotech 2008 Conference Program Abstract