Motor Boat & Yachting — February 2018

16

Who is tampering with antifoul,

and why?

European regulations for antifouling

are changing, mostly with regards to

biocides, the active ingredients that

seek to control organic fouling by

chemical or biological means. In the

case of boating, that means the weed,

slime, barnacles and other organisms

that build up on underwater surfaces

such as a boat’s hull and sterngear.

The reason they are changing is

concern over the long-term build-

up of chemicals leaching into the

environment and the damage that

could have on animal and plant life.

When is this due to take place?

According to the British Coatings

Federation, antifoul manufacturers

have had to submit a dossier for each

of its products before December 31,

2017. This requires the submission of
      information detailing the effectiveness,
      stability and possible human and
      environmental issues of the products
      used to one of the appointed EU
      authorities – in the UK’s case, it’s
      the Health and Safety Executive.

Can they carry on selling

antifouling in the meantime?

If an application has been made for

an antifouling paint and it has been

accepted by the authorities, then

this product can continue to be made,

supplied and used as before while

the dossier is being reviewed by the

authorities. There is no fixed timescale

for dossier evaluation, which may take

several years. Any paint for which

a dossier has not been submitted

or accepted can be sold until the

end of June 2018 and must be

used by December 2018. After

this date, the product will no longer

be permitted to be used in the EU.

Is this an issue for boat owners?

That depends on the effectiveness of

the new products. The fear is that new

regulations will limit the type and

concentration of chemicals used

reducing either their ability to keep

fouling at bay or their longevity.

If so, this may mean extra cost

and more frequent applications as

well as more regular lifts and scrubs.

Presumably this is deemed

necessary for the environment?

Of course any reduction in chemicals

entering the environment is in theory

a good thing. However, as ever, it is all

about getting the balance right. There

is some concern that new rules are

designed around the model of an

‘inside marina scenario’, ie a small

enclosed space with little tidal flow

in which chemicals are more likely

Will this apply to all vessels?

It will affect all leisure boats although

superyachts and commercial ships

fall under a separate antifouling

specification. The definition of

a superyacht is a leisure vessel

with a load line length equal to

or over 24m. In practice, this tends

to be boats over about 90ft in length.

The theory is that these vessels

are considered open water craft

and less likely to be in the confined

spaces occupied by smaller boats.

Is the new legislation fi xed?

It’s a fluid situation with some

trade organisations lobbying

for a more realistic test scenario.

What is the manufacturers’ take

on this proposed regulation?

We spoke to the research department

of International [Paint], which recently

launched eight new antifouling

products to replace existing ones.

The company claims that customers

who have been using Micron Extra EU

and Micron Extra 2 will see improved

performance from the new Micron

350. That’s because Micron 350
     uses self-polishing copolymer
     technology that allows for a more
     evenly controlled biocide release rate.
     The other new products are said to
     perform in line with the products they
     replace but with improved colours.
     It claims that boats will not need to
     be cleaned more often, that there
     is no significant difference in the
     amount of product needing to be
     applied and that the duration of
     effectiveness should be similar.

Is Coppercoat also affected?

Coppercoat is slightly different,

being a water-based epoxy with

very low leach rates that is designed

to last for several years rather than

being applied annually. Currently,

the system is unaffected by new

Biocidal Product Regulations.

EU antifoul regulations

The truth about

Changes are afoot that could affect everyone who keeps a boat afl oat. MBY investigates

MBYINVESTIGATES

to build up. This may not be fully

representative of UK moorings,

many of which are flushed by river

or tidal currents, making the new

regulations overly draconian.

Then there is also the question

of unintended consequences.

Unintended consequences?

The most obvious consequence

is that less effective antifoul could

considerably increase hull drag

through the water, resulting in

increased fuel burn and higher

emissions. But beyond that, there

is the question of invasive species

being carried by boats to locations

in which they don’t belong if

antifouling is not sufficiently effective.

NEWS

An unintended consequence could be more hull

drag, increased fuel burn and higher emissions

Will the new EU

regulations reduce

the effi cacity of

antifouling paints?