Managing barnacle biofouling risk in a tightening regulatory environment

This white paper draws on independent inspection data, academic studies and regulatory analysis to quantify the scale and impact of barnacle fouling across the global fleet. The findings show that barnacle fouling is widespread, with more than one‑third of vessels arriving at dry dock with over 10% barnacle coverage on the underwater hull. Even relatively low levels of barnacle fouling can result in sharply higher hydrodynamic resistance, driving increased fuel consumption, emissions and operating costs.