Lena Lindblad, founder of Sweden based startup I-tech (2005 – present), may have found a defense for one of global warming’s secret weapons: crustaceans located on the bottoms of boats and ships. These marine crustaceans, coming in the form of barnacles, attach themselves permanently to an array of surfaces. Barnacles feed by filtering particles from the water using their modified feathery legs. If you’ve ever gone scuba diving or seen a shipwreck on natural history shows you know exactly what were talking about. I-tech is developing and manufacturing antifouling substances/technology for the paint industry, boat, and ship owners.

Barnacles attached to the bottom of a ship can cause a fair amount of turbulence throughout the ship’s journey, in turn causing the vessel to use as much as 50 percent more fuel.  I-tech has been utilizing post-patent chemical Selektrope to sedate and remove the larvae. Korea, which is the world’s largest shipbuilder has been the first to approve the sale of the product.

Up until now, copper has been the go-to ingredient in painting a ship’s hull to prevent the larvae from attaching itself. Copper, however, can be extremely toxic to our waters when dissolved and disseminated. One ounce of Selektrope can be substituted for 500 ounces of copper although the longevity of Selektrope is still being researched heavily.

I-tech is innovating in an amazing way and has the potential to greatly improve the marine industry. Shipping accounts for 90 percent of world trade, so it’s vital we take every necessary step towards greening any and all marine transportation. Maybe we’ll see hybrid commercial ships in the near future, similar to what the Navy did in 2009. For now, kudos to the I-tech team for helping keep our waters and thus our global environment cleaner and safer.

-See It, Save It

Eli