Marine Antifouling Agent
The First Global Solution for
Copper-free Antifouling Paints
ECONEA® Key Features
The Marine Biofouling
Challenge
Marine biofouling is caused by settlement and growth of micro- and macro-organisms on ships and other marine
structures. These organisms can include marine plants and invertebrate animals like barnacles, hydroids, bivalve
mollusks and tube worms. Marine biofouling may impair the operational efficiency of a ship, in severe cases causing
up to a 40% increase in fuel consumption.
•
Metal-free antifouling agent
•
Low use concentrations provide cost-effective alternative to copper-based antifoulants
•
Broad spectrum control of hard fouling organisms
•
Long-lasting efficacy
•
Effective in marine and freshwater environments
•
Breaks down rapidly in the aquatic environment
•
Does not induce galvanic corrosion, particularly suitable for metal hulls including aluminium
•
Provides paint formulation flexibility including bright colours and improved colour retention, lower VOC as well
as water based paints
To date, the most effective and economical method to prevent ship biofouling is the application of an antifouling
paint that releases a biocidal compound. Since the ban on tributyltin as an antifouling biocide by the International
•
Supported under regulatory schemes worldwide
Maritime Organization (IMO), there has been a substantial shift to copper as the active ingredient of choice for
antifouling coatings. Most recently there have been regional efforts to restrict the use of copper for antifouling due
to environmental concerns.
The steady increase in copper price has spurred the search for cost-effective alternatives.
What is ECONEA® ?
JANSSEN PMP
Janssen PMP is a division of Janssen
Pharmaceutica NV, which forms part of the
ECONEA® (tralopyril) is an arylpyrrole compound developed by Janssen
PMP. ECONEA® is metal-free and represents the latest generation of
Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.
Johnson & Johnson is headquartered in
New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA and
active ingredients for antifouling paints for ships and other marine
has more than 250 operating companies
structures.
in 60 countries employing approximately
129,000 people.
ECONEA® is about ten times more active than copper against marine
hard fouling organisms. Because it has a low water solubility and resists
leaching, ECONEA® containing paints can provide long lasting protection.
Janssen PMP has more than 30 years
of
experience
materials
degradation.
cuprous oxide at about one tenth the use concentration in the paint by
around
Once ECONEA® is released from the paint into the marine environment,
development
products that are used to preserve and
Depending on the paint formulation, ECONEA can be as effective as
weight.
the
and commercialization of sustainable
protect
®
in
the
against
biological
Janssen
PMP
globe
across
operates
diverse
applications and industries, including
wood, paint & coatings, plastics, textiles,
metalworking fluids and many other.
Janssen PMP’s active ingredients and
it breaks down rapidly. Registration has been granted or is in progress
formulated
in most of the key regions of the world.
unmatched technical service and global
products
are
backed
regulatory expertise and support.
by
Environmental Profile of ECONEA®
ECONEA® is highly effective at controlling a wide range of fouling organisms while having an acceptable environmental
risk at recommended use concentrations.
Antifouling Efficacy of ECONEA®
After ECONEA® has exerted its antifouling effect and has been released from the antifouling paint, it is rapidly transformed
into degradation compounds that pose minimal risk to aquatic life at predicted environmental concentrations.
Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that ECONEA® has an extremely low bioconcentration potential in fish.
For its environmental attributes, ECONEA® was nominated for the 2010 European Business Awards for the Environment
ECONEA® provides outstanding protection against fouling challenges from a wide spectrum of hard-shelled and soft-
organized by the Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Commission.
bodied animal fouling organisms.
In addition to this intrinsic biological activity, ECONEA® has the necessary physical and chemical properties for it to
US Navy Qualification Testing
be effective in marine coatings. Because of its chemical and physical stability in coatings, the low water solubility
and leachability, ECONEA® containing antifouling paints can often be specified for multi-year dry-docking intervals
The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) of the US
comparable to those achieved with copper-based products.
Navy has qualified SEAVOYAGE™ Copper-Free from The
Sherwin-Williams Company to performance specification
MIL-PRF-24647D, Application 1 (= service life of minimum
3 years).
International Paint has developed INTERSPEED® 5640 to
meet the same MIL spec. Both products are copper-free
and based on ECONEA® as the sole hard fouling biocide.
How to Formulate with ECONEA®
12 months in-service performance of
INTERNATIONAL INTERSPEED® 5640, which is a
copper-free antifouling paint based on ECONEA®,
on a US Naval vessel. Photo courtesy of International Paint Ltd. Effective use levels of ECONEA® in copper-free antifouling paints
are typically between 4 and 6 per cent by weight (on total formula,
wet paint). Alternatively, ECONEA® can be used in conjunction
Coated Panel ‘Raft’ Marine Exposure Tests
with a copper-based biocide, either to reduce the copper level
without sacrificing performance or to increase the performance
and/or service life of copper-based products.
It is recommended to use ECONEA® in conjunction with a soft
fouling agent to ensure complete protection against both hard
and soft fouling. ECONEA® is fit for use in different types of
antifouling paint including traditional rosin-based Controlled
Depletion Polymer (CDP) paint types, as well as Self-Polishing
Copolymer (SPC) systems.
Uncoated Panel
Fouling Census
Blank Paint
(w/o A.I.)
5% ECONEA®
40% Cu2O
Fouling test results from 72 weeks static panel exposure in Tuticorin Bay, S.E. India
Regulatory Status of ECONEA®
ECONEA® is approved as an antifouling preservative by the United States Environmental Protection Agency since
2007 (EPA Reg. No. 43813-27 and 43813-52). In addition, ECONEA® is supported as a new active substance under
the European Biocidal Products Directive and -Regulation for Product Type 21 (Antifouling Products).
Enabling Technology
Janssen PMP’s strategic goal is to have regulatory coverage for ECONEA® in all significant markets for antifouling
products worldwide. To meet the requirements of the various regulatory schemes in different parts of the world,
ECONEA® is supported by a comprehensive toxicological and environmental data package.
Owing to significant investments in the regulatory data package for ECONEA®, Janssen PMP is in a position to support
ECONEA® offers the paint formulation chemist the possibility to achieve certain desired coating properties that would
its customers’ registration efforts by providing Letters of Access to the relevant data and registration of the active
otherwise be very difficult or impossible to achieve using the traditional copper-based antifouling biocides.
substance.
Improved Colour Retention
Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
ECONEA® may not be registered for certain uses in certain countries. For more information on the regulatory status in your country
of interest, we invite you to contact us.
As a Product Stewardship initiative, Janssen PMP has issued a booklet entitled Guidelines for the safe use of ECONEA® Technical.
This booklet can be provided upon request.
Copper-based antifouling paints generally exhibit a low consistency in colour throughout their in-service lifetime.
The use of ECONEA® allows the formulation of paints with unsurpassed colour retention.
Fit for use on Aluminium
ECONEA® is particularly applicable for aluminium vessels where
the use of copper-containing products is often disregarded due to
concerns of galvanic corrosion.
Weight Savings
Eliminating copper provides a substantial reduction in weight
and offers shipowners potential advantages of fuel savings and
Let’s Talk Honestly About
Cost
increased tonnage.
In former days it was more expensive
Light and Bright Colours
Using conventional copper-based biocides, it is difficult to
formulate light or bright coloured paints and still achieve optimal
antifouling performance. ECONEA® based antifouling paints can
be made available in clean, crisp, bright colours which meet the
highest antifouling performance standards.
Lower VOC
ECONEA® is suitable for the formulation of antifouling paints with
to formulate an antifouling paint with
ECONEA® than it was with conventional
copper-based biocides.
However, due to a continued effort
to optimize the production cost of
ECONEA® combined with increasing
copper prices over the last years,
ECONEA®
has
cost-effective
now
alternative
become
to
a
copper
in antifouling applications.
reduced levels of Volatile Organic Compounds.
ECONEA® is a registered trademark
of Johnson & Johnson.
Marine Antifouling Agent
Turnhoutseweg 30
B-2340 Beerse, Belgium
BTW BE 0403.834.160
RPR Turnhout
Tel.: +32(0)14/60.37.36
info@janssenpmp.com
www.janssenpmp.com
© JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICA NV 2013 P08_0216AVDL
www.econea.com