ISO 20679:2025

Overview

ISO 20679:2025 - Ships and marine technology - Marine environment protection - Testing of ship biofouling in‑water cleaning systems - establishes rigorous, repeatable procedures for independent performance testing of in‑water cleaning (IWC) systems. The standard addresses testing across all forms of biofouling (microfouling and macrofouling), all external submerged ship surfaces (hull and niche areas), and both proactive and reactive IWC systems, including systems with or without debris capture, processing and disposal. ISO 20679:2025 defines how to produce, analyse and report data on the efficacy and safety of hull cleaning and biofouling removal while clarifying which systems and performance-setting activities are outside its scope.

Key technical topics and requirements

• Fundamental test data: identification of factors that affect IWC performance and the core parameters required before testing.
• Experimental design: classification of IWC systems for testing, test duration and extent for proactive vs reactive systems.
• Quantification methods: standardized approaches to measure biofouling removal/prevention, fouling ratings, control vs treated locations, and sampling techniques for hull and niche areas.
• Survey procedures: dive and low‑visibility survey protocols and environmental characterisation to contextualize results.
• Water quality and debris: procedures to quantify changes to water quality, debris processing unit sampling, effluent and solid waste disposal metrics.
• Coating impact assessment: methods to detect and record IWC effects on ship coatings (optional additional determinations included).
• Data management and QA/QC: data recording, archiving, quality objectives, measurement uncertainty, technical audits, corrective action and reporting requirements.
• Health & environmental safety: provisions to assess and mitigate human health and environmental risks during testing.

The document provides detailed test report content and annexes with example survey methods.

Practical applications and who uses this standard

ISO 20679:2025 is intended for organizations involved in the validation, acceptance and oversight of IWC technologies:

• IWC manufacturers and test laboratories conducting independent performance validation.
• Shipowners and operators evaluating cleaning options and environmental compliance.
• Classification societies, port authorities and regulators that require consistent performance data for approvals and environmental protection.
• Shipyards, marine environmental consultants and insurers assessing coating integrity, debris handling and liability.

Using ISO 20679 helps demonstrate reliable, comparable evidence of biofouling removal efficacy, minimize invasive species transfer risk, and document environmental safety and coating integrity.

Related standards and guidance

ISO 20679:2025 complements broader marine environment protection guidance and maritime regulations (including IMO and national biofouling/antifouling guidance) and was prepared by ISO/TC 8 Ships and marine technology. For projects requiring regulatory compliance, pair ISO 20679 test reports with applicable local or international biofouling management requirements.