GloFouling Webinars
An update on the review of the Biofouling Guidelines
Date:
Thursday, 22 October 2020
Webinar closed, recording available here
13
Summary:
After three years of consultation among its Member States, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted in 2011 the Guidelines for the control and management of ships' biofouling to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species (IMO Biofouling Guidelines). These Guidelines provide a globally consistent approach to the management of biofouling and are a decisive step forward towards reducing the risk related to the transfer of invasive aquatic species.
An important aspect of the Guidelines is that they also anticipated the need for potential refinements to accommodate future scientific and technological advances, through a built-in review mechanism. This review process was initiated in 2018, when the 72nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) approved a new output to review the IMO Biofouling Guidelines, assigning the work to its Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR) for the 2020-2021 biennium. This webinar will provide some insights on the progress of the review process currently taking place at IMO.
Presented by:
Teo Karayannis, Head, Marine Biosafety, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Dr Teo Karayannis joined the Marine Environment Division of the IMO Secretariat in March 2014 and currently holds the position of Head, Marine Biosafety, being in charge of biosafety-related topics (ballast water management, anti-fouling systems and biofouling management), and responsible for the BWM and AFS Conventions and the Biofouling Guidelines. He is also the IMO Secretariat’s focal point for various ongoing activities, including inter-agency partnerships, related to marine biosafety and biodiversity. Until July 2017 he was also involved with matters related to ship energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. Prior to joining IMO he worked for Lloyd’s Register, as a Senior Specialist in the Strategic Research and Technology Policy Group, and prior to that he held a position in the Marine Pollution Prevention and Cargoes Department in the Greek national maritime Administration. He also has previous experience as a naval architect and marine engineer at a ship design firm; as a university researcher; and as a lecturer at a seafarers’ training academy. Dr Karayannis has a Diploma in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (Greece) and a PhD in Ship Science from the University of Southampton (UK).