Maritime transport is the first preference for transporting cargo; more than 50,000 ships navigate the world’s oceans, carrying nearly 90% of all goods transported worldwide. The commercial viability of the global merchant fleet depends heavily on the shell of the vessels. Biofouling, caused by plant and animal growth on the hull below the waterline, is a particular concern. Proteins, carbohydrates and other micronutrients from the ocean begin adhering themselves to the hull upon its initial contact with seawater. As nutrients, they attract marine organisms that then settle onto the shell. The biofilms formed in this process are highly complex habitats in which several hundred species interact (positively or negatively) with one another, thus hindering the movement of the ship (Figure 1).
FIGURE 1 » How biofilms form – Just seconds after contact with seawater, micro-organisms settle on the ship’s hull. These serve as nourishment for other organisms, and a biofilm is formed.