Our knowledge, experience and pragmatism is what differentiates us from the rest.

Our advisors are experienced in researching and/or managing biofouling and Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS). Such a solid foundation enables us to offer a broad range of professional, scientific and technical aspects of managing biofouling and IAS.

Advisory Services

BFS offers a wide range of advisory services to help clients manage all their biofouling and IAS management needs. One of our greatest strengths is our ability help clients identify and refine their needs to ensure all relevant biofouling and IAS requirements are managed in a cost-effective and pragmatic manner.

Vessel Inspections

BFS has a team of highly qualified and experienced biofouling and/or IAS inspectors capable of meeting various regulatory or project specific requirements around the world. We have the ability to meet all your inspection needs from undertaking preliminary inspections to determine if any management measures are required through to final inspections to meet regulatory compliance. Our inspectors can either travel to you (anywhere in the world) or provide guidance via our new remote inspection software either in dry-dock, or using commercial divers or Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).

Education and Training

BFS is able to develop and deliver tailored educational and training materials ranging from conference presentations, workshops, university lectures, brochures, pamphlets, etc focusing on increasing the awareness of various issues surrounding biofouling and/or Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS).

Likelihood/Risk Assessments

BFS can undertake desktop assessments for clients wishing to assess the theoretical likelihood or risk of their vessels or infrastructure introducing IAS associated with proposed movements or activities. Undertaking such assessments can be invaluable to help clients decide which management measures are feasible and the most cost-effective in order to achieve various regulatory requirements. Such assessments have saved clients from either over-committing to or under-estimating necessary management measures which would have cost millions of dollars in both direct and opportunity costs.

Port Baseline and Surveillance

BFS personnel have been involved in over 50 baseline, port surveys and on-going surveillance programs throughout Australia and New Zealand. While BFS is capable of designing such surveys to meet various regulatory/client requirements, BFS is also capable of designing and undertaking cost-effective surveys using innovative methods which maximise the likelihood of detecting Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS).

Research and Development

BFS has a well-established research and development capacity dedicated towards developing practical tools for mitigating the unwanted accumulation and spread of IAS through vessel biofouling. For example, BFS has been involved in researching the efficacy of a range of environmentally antifouling coatings, descalers for treating internal seawater systems, in-water grooming/cleaning technologies for vessel hulls and incursion response tools for managing IAS.