Heriot-Watt academic presents world-leading research at global workshop

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Heriot-Watt Orkney Campus staff member, Dr Andrew Want, presented his world-leading research on biofouling at a major event in London last week.

 

International Maritime Organization (IMO) held a global workshop on March 18-20 to kick-start the GloFouling Partnerships project.

 

This five-year project will address the transfer of harmful aquatic species through biofouling in some of the developing regions of the world.

 

Researchers from 12 developing countries – Brazil, Ecuador, Fiji, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Tonga – attended the event, where they discussed protocols to help ensure biosecurity through mitigation of potential transfer of invasive aquatic species.

 

Andrew Want, from Heriot-Watt University's School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society was also invited to present at the event based on his research working with the European Marine Energy Centre and wave and tidal energy developers.

 

“Providing guidance for better management of biofouling in the offshore renewable energy industry may improve device performance and reduce maintenance costs,” said Andrew Want.

 

“The Glofouling workshop provided an exciting opportunity to present our research to a wide-range of stakeholders across the world involved in biofouling of non-shipping industries.”

 

You can read more about the GloFouling project here.