Antifouling Coating
Hull coating slowing or preventing biofouling; modern systems are silicone-based (foul-release) or copper/zinc biocidal.
In practice
Applied at every drydock to the underwater hull. Service life targets 5-7 years; performance verified at hull cleaning intervals.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Hull coating that slows or prevents biofouling on the underwater hull. Modern systems are either silicone-based foul-release coatings (no biocide; fouling is removed by water flow) or copper- and zinc-based biocidal paints (releasing biocide at a controlled rate). The AFS Convention 2001 and its 2021 amendment ban tributyltin and cybutryne respectively. Anti-fouling delivers measurable fuel-saving and CO2 reduction, contributing to the ship's CII rating; coating life is typically 5 years between renewals although high-performance systems extend that to 7+ years on container ships and tankers.
Authoritative source: AFS Convention 2001 ↗
Related
Source: AFS Convention 2001
High confidence
Editorial confidence: how we grade.