AMSA Marine Notice 19/2013
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has issued Marine Notice 19/2013 regarding Biofouling and In-water Cleaning
The purpose of this Marine Notice is to advise ship owners, operators, ports and marinas of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2011 Guidelines for the control and management of ships’ biofouling to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species (Biofouling Guidelines), and the new Antifouling and in-water cleaning guidelines for Australia and New Zealand.
International Biofouling Guidelines
The Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC) of the IMO adopted the Biofouling Guidelinesby resolution MEPC.207(62) in 2011. The aim of the
Biofouling Guidelines is to achieve a globallyconsistent approach to managing biofouling byproviding information on general measures to minimizethe risks associated with biofouling for all types ofships.
MEPC also agreed that the Biofouling Guidelines would be kept under review to incorporate the knowledge gained from their implementation. Such review would include an assessment of whether the Biofouling Guidelines are effective in influencing biofouling management practices.
Anti-fouling and in-water cleaning guidelines (Australia and New Zealand)
To reflect the approach of the international BiofoulingGuidelines, the Australian and New ZealandEnvironment and Conservation Council Code of
Practice for Antifouling and In-water Hull Cleaning andMaintenance 1997 (the ANZECC Code), wasreviewed. The new Anti-fouling and in-water cleaning
guidelines (the guidelines) has been jointly developedby Australia and New Zealand, in conjunction withindustry stakeholders.
On 26 June 2013, the guidelines were endorsed byAustralian and New Zealand governments, andreplaced the ANZECC Code.
Part 1 of the guidelines addresses application,maintenance, removal and disposal of anti-foulingcoatings at shore-based maintenance facilities.
Part 2 of the guidelines addresses in-water cleaning.This section states that vessels and moveablestructures should be removed from the water prior to
cleaning. However, in cases where removal is noteconomically or practically viable, the guidelinesaccept in-water cleaning as a potential management
option for removing biofouling, providing that risks areappropriately managed.
This is the main change from the ANZECC Code,which discouraged in-water cleaning in allcircumstances.
A copy of the guidelines is at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry DAFF website
For more information, please read the AMSA Marine Notice 19/2013