New ISO standard published for environmentally responsible hull cleaning
Irene Øvstebø Tvedten, project manager, Clean Hull Initiative (Source: Clean Hull Initiative)
A new international standard governing in-water hull cleaning has been published to help ports, shipowners and service providers manage biofouling removal in an environmentally responsible way.
The standard, ISO 6319, provides guidance on conducting and documenting hull cleaning operations to reduce the risk of spreading invasive aquatic species and releasing pollutants into the marine environment.
“Biofouling on ships’ hulls can spread invasive aquatic species and damage ecosystems. It also increases drag, reducing a vessel’s efficiency and leading to higher fuel consumption and increased greenhouse gas emissions,” said Irene Øvstebø Tvedten, senior adviser at the Bellona Foundation and project manager for the Clean Hull Initiative.
ISO 6319 sets out procedures for ports and regulators to request documentation from service providers carrying out hull cleaning, allowing authorities to assess whether cleaning technologies provide adequate environmental safeguards.
Luc Van Espen, port environment expert at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, said: “An internationally accepted and applied standard creates a level playing field among seaports worldwide, strongly limiting the transfer of invasive alien species from one port to another.”
Industry participants, including shipowners, coating suppliers and hull cleaning providers, contributed to the standard’s development, with stakeholders stating it could streamline permit processes and improve regulatory consistency across global ports.
