Initiative extended until December 31, 2026

 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced an extension of the TEST Biofouling project, which seeks to combat the transfer of invasive species through ship hulls. The extension, signed at no cost between the IMO and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) on April 10, 2024, will extend the duration of the project until December 31, 2026.

 

The main objective of this measure is to ensure the necessary support to complete the long-term plans of the participating countries, including the implementation of demonstration activities. 

 

The TEST Biofouling project focuses on testing innovative technologies and showcasing sustainable methods to manage biological fouling on ships’ hulls in several developing countries. Biofouling has been identified as one of the main threats to marine biodiversity and to industries dependent on it, such as tourism and fisheries.

 

This project also supports the implementation of the IMO 2023 Guidelines on biofouling and complements the actions carried out by the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloFouling Partnerships project.

 

Educational initiatives 

 

As part of TEST Biofouling’s training activities, the MTCC Caribbean (MTCC Caribbean) organized a training course on biofouling management in Latin America from April 8 to 11, 2024. This event, entitled “Introduction to Marine Biofouling: Impacts and Risk Management,” provided a detailed overview of the topic, as well as management solutions and technologies available to address it. 

 

Participants included representatives from Argentina, Chile and Panama, from various sectors such as ministries of transport and fisheries, maritime administrations and port authorities, among others.

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