scope:

General

IMO Resolution MEPC.207(62) contains Guidelines that recommend every ship have a Biofouling Management Plan and a Biofouling Record Book onboard. In and of themselves, these Guidelines are not mandatory. However, regular reference should be made to the latest requirements of individual States to determine the scope of implementation to ships entitled to fly the flag, and to ships operating in the jurisdictional waters of that State. A biofouling management plan and biofouling record book may be either a stand-alone document, or integrated, in part or fully, into the vessel's existing operational and procedural manuals and/or planned maintenance system.

The biofouling management plan is to be vessel-specific and is to provide a description of the biofouling management strategy for a vessel with sufficient details to allow a vessel's Master, the designated ship's officer, or crew members to understand and implement the biofouling management strategy.

The contents of these Guidance Notes are based on IMO Resolution MEPC.207(62) "2011 Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ship's Biofouling to Minimize the Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species".

This document has been provided to assist in the development of a vessel's Biofouling Management Plan.