Matching Forces Applied in Underwater Hull Cleaning with Adhesion Strength of Marine Organisms

Biofouling is detrimental to the hydrodynamic performance of ships. In spite of advances in hull coating technology, a ship must usually undergo underwater hull cleaning to remove biofouling during her in-service time. However, some cleaning practices may also lead to decreased lifetime of the fouling-control coating. Therefore, cleaning forces should be minimized, according to the adhesion strength of marine organisms present on the hull. In this article, values of adhesion strength found in available literature are discussed in the light of current knowledge on hull cleaning technology. Finally, the following knowledge gaps are identified: (1) data on adhesion strength of naturally-occurring biofouling communities are practically absent; (2) shear forces imparted by current cleaning devices on low-form fouling (microfouling) and corresponding effects on hull coatings are largely unknown. This knowledge would be valuable for both developers and users of cleaning technology.