The process of growth and accumulation of barnacles,mussels,algae and various organisms on ship hulls and other submerged structures,known as marine biofouling,is a long-standing problem closely related to the efficiency and safety of human activities and properties in marine environments.The problem is ubiquitous and can be easily found on large cargo vessels,commercial fishing boats,naval vessels,recreational yachts and small craft,aquaculture gear,ocean sensors,UUVs,marine hydrokinetic structures,and so on.The adverse effects of marine fouling on these properties include a significant increase in hydrodynamic drag and associated additional fuel consumption,and increased emissions,corrosion and damage to the structure,spreading of non-indigenous species and diseases disturbing the marine ecosystems and causing significant economic loss.It is estimated that heavy calcareous fouling on ship hulls such as barnacle attachment can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 85%.1,2 Even light(or heavy)slime coverage can cause about a 9%(or 17%)increase in total hydrodynamic resistance,which can cause up to 18% shaft power penalties.1 Approximately 2%(~13 Quads)of the world's energy is currently used in the commercial marine shipping industry,consisting of nearly 100,000 commercial cargo ships,which also contributes to 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions.3 To put this in a different context,globally $60 billion/yr in fuel cost alone can be saved if we can successfully address the marine biofouling problem on ship hulls(Figure l).
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