The International Maritime Organization estimates that the annual costs caused by biofouling lie in the billion-dollar range. Evonik is working on a solution to the problem in the form of new eco-friendly coatings that counteracts biofouling. The coating tricks microorganisms into perceiving plain water in front of them, rather than the ship's hull; as a result they often make no attempt to settle on the hull. Organisms settle on the ship's walls, changing the smooth surfaces into a rough and ragged shell. This increases frictional resistance in the water, so that biofouling slows down ships.
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