Global Industry Alliance (GIA) for Marine Biosafety convened on 20 June for the second of four meetings in 2024. The GIA members – maritime sector industry representatives, including anti-fouling solutions providers, shipping representatives, technology researchers, classification societies, and international associations- got together to discuss the GIA's work and its governance changes.
The alliance's purpose is to contribute and support two key International Maritime Organization (IMO) pressing environmental objectives via improved biofouling management: to protect marine biodiversity and decarbonize shipping. The members identify the gaps and commission research, studies, and development of awareness-raising material for the biofouling and maritime sector as a whole.
In addition to its day-to-day activities the alliance discussed and adopted a change to the GIA for Marine Biosafety Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedures where a vice-chair role and responsibilities were added. As a result a new election for the posts of the chair and a vice‑chair, for the duration of a year until the closure of GloFouling Partnerships project (until 31 May 2025), was held. After the anonymous vote the members of the GIA Task Force (GIA-TF) elected:
the GIA-TF Chair: Mr. Simon Doran, Business Development Manager - Marine Services, AkzoNobel; and
the GIA-TF Vice-Chair: Ms. Abigail Robinson, Vice President of Sustainability, ECOsubsea.
Mr. Doran was re-elected for the post of Chair for the third time since the GIA for Marine Biosafety creation in 2020, he reiterated his motivation to continue championing “cooperation, innovation, and the development of practical solutions to the biofouling issue ensuring that the GIA for Marine Biosafety remains aligned with the IMO's overall mission of promoting safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable shipping.”
Ms. Robinson who became the first vice-chair and the first woman in the position of the presiding officer of the GIA meetings said that “through the work of GIA for Marine Biosafety and with my combined experience of a sustainability leader, within a biofouling solution company, and government regulatory enforcement/policy development background, my focus will be to support IMO’s environmental objective to protect marine biodiversity from invasive aquatic species.”
The GIA also welcomed its newest member PPG Protective & Marine Coatings who joined at the beginning of 2024. PPG is developing and delivering paints and coatings for various markets including the shipping. Ms. Joanna van Helmond, Global Product Manager, PPG expressed her support for the work of the GIA for Marine Biosafety to date and confirmed the “collective importance for continued support of IMO’s objective to reduce the environmental footprint of shipping”.
The GIA also discussed the progress of several ongoing activities currently in progress, such as documentary development about the impacts of invasive aquatic species, the launch of which was agreed to be moved back to GloFouling Partnerships organized 3rd GloFouling R&D Forum to be held from 4 to 8 November in Busan, the Republic of Korea (co-organized with Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Korea Research Institute of Ships & Ocean Engineering (KRISO)).
Among other discussed activities in progress was the review of the “Compilation and Comparative Analysis of Existing and Emerging Regulations, Standards and Practices Related to Ships’ Biofouling Management”; a study on port perspectives on biofouling management, with the main output in report format; and a study on identifying changes to water quality as a result of in-water cleaning of the biofouling on ships’ hulls all of which deliverables were on track.
As per the GIA-TF agreement the members get together for in-person meetings once a year, therefore the next meeting due to be held on 3rd October will be held in-person only where the whole alliance can have more in-depth conversations about its work and sustainability after the project's closure. The meeting also coincides with the eighty-second session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) scheduled for 30 September to 4 October 2024 at IMO Headquarters.
About PPG: PPG is a manufacturer of paints, coatings, and specialty materials for more than 140 years. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, PPG operates and innovates in more than 70 countries - working side-by-side with customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets, and aftermarkets. Read more: https://www.ppgpmc.com/about-us
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