The dirty secret of shipping’s clean hull ambitions

AI Summary

Hull fouling increases ships’ fuel consumption and emissions, but cleaning can release organisms and coating materials, prompting tighter port restrictions. The article argues that shipping needs a global network of locations where hull cleaning can be carried out safely.

Hull fouling drives up fuel bills and emissions, yet ports increasingly restrict the very cleaning operations needed to tackle it. The missing piece is a global network of places where ships can safely get cleaned. Alex Byelyavtsev explains.  A dirty hull burns more fuel. Cleaning reduces resistance and emissions. Cleaning can also release organisms, coating …