Madagascar commits to national biofouling regulation to protect marine environment

The workshop, held in Toamasina (15-17 September) and co-organized with the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for Africa (MTCC Africa) and hosted by the Agence Portuaire, Maritime et Fluviale (APMF), aimed to boost the country's capacity to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species via ships.

It focused on implementing IMO's Biofouling Guidelines, while highlighting innovative in-water inspection and cleaning methods to combat the accumulation of organisms on ships' hulls and other submerged surfaces.

Key activities

Sessions focused on practical biofouling solutions and best practices, including:

• Technical training course on biofouling risk assessment and in-water inspection methodologies, for stakeholders to better understand, evaluate and manage biofouling;
• Live demonstration of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in-water inspection system, delivering safer, more precise and environmentally responsible hull inspections and cleaning;
• Session on investment and financing with BNI Madagascar, one of the country's leading banks, to explore financial support and investment opportunities to scale up biofouling and ocean protection initiatives.

Concrete outcomes

Participants welcomed the new knowledge and skills gained from the training and demonstrations.

As one of the Lead Partnering Countries under the IMO-Norad TEST Biofouling Project, Malagasy authorities underscored their commitment to draft a national biofouling regulation, including provisions on hull cleaning and waste treatment.

A stakeholder dialogue platform was also established to align efforts with international frameworks and strengthen collaboration between APMF, MTCC Africa, and IMO.

The next TEST Biofouling workshops will be held in Ecuador (1-3 October) and Fiji (20-22 October).