Economic impact of biofouling on the maritime industries in the Atlantic area

The widely recognized biofouling phenomenon has many negative consequences for artificial structures that are in contact with seawater in the form of structural defects and additional expenses for maritime companies due to cleaning and prevention processes. Maritime industries are essential to avoid biofouling growth, being a source of jobs and innovation. Furthermore, their impact on the local economy is not clearly defined. Local authorities need a better knowledge and understanding of their local skills and their potential.
Sectors of Activity:
Marine biotechnology
Ocean renewable energy
Research & innovation
Securing fresh water supply (desalination)
Shipbuilding (excl. leisure boats) and ship repair
Water projects
Yachting and marinas
other
Other Sector of Activity:
Nautical industry
Funding other:
Atlantic Area Trans-national Programme Horizon H2020 Life
Objective:
The main objective of this project is to analize antifouling industries of European maritime cities and establish a methodology to measure their impact on the local economy. This project promotes the growing of a competitive sector linked to the nautical industry in the Atlantic Area. In addition to this main objective, the project will aim to: - Define the value chain in the nautical industry sector and all the involved sub-sectors and agents. - Capitalize the results achieved about economic impact of biofouling. - Identify business opportunities for exploitation of the new antifouling methods in the Atlantic Area.
Beneficiaries:
Local decision makers; Local authorities; Port management organisations and all stakeholders working with nautical industry.
Main activities:
1)Definition of the links of the value chain in the nautical industry. This first stage will cover the identification of the involved nautical industry and sub-sectors. 2)To establish indicators responding to the particularities of the impact economy of biofouling on each territory. 3)To collect detailed information about impact economy of biofouling on each involved territory and analyse them. 4)To compare the results, and establish a ranking. 5)To show to the Atlantic Area industry their capacity to use or adequate their work resources to research in technologies antifouling.
Main deliverables:
- A common methodology - Common indicators - Ranking of maritime areas relating to economy impact of biofouling - Economic impact of biofouling on each territory (communication) - Recommendations to develop new technologies antifouling initiatives/actions. - The project website (newsletter, inclusion of partner production on the site, technical sheets, technologies antifouling, Workshops, technical events, training sessions, etc )
Partners needed:
Local governments; Universities; Nautical industry, suppliers of technology antifouling.
Timetable:
working for our proposal:2016 Starting date: January 2017
Geographical target area:
Atlantic arc
Countries:
France
Ireland
Portugal
Spain
United Kingdom
Budget: Not decided yet
Name of Organisation: University of Cantabria
Address: 
C/ Gamazo, 1.
City: 
Santander
Postal code: 
39004
Country: Spain
Contact person: 
Dr. Sergio García
Position: 
Ph.D. Lecturer & Research
Department: 
Department of Sciences and Techniques of Navigation and Shipbuilding
Email:
Phone: 
+ 34 942 20 13 56
Website: