News Archive

The Norderney Institute for Antifouling, run by Dr. Brill + Partner (DBP), has organised the Biofouling Management Conference on Norderney for the third time, in collaboration with the Northern Germany Maritime Cluster (MCN), the GreenShipping Lower Saxony initiative and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). The German Sailing Association (DSV) and the German Motor Yacht Association (DMYV) were also ‘on board’ once again. Over 50 experts from industry, research, associations and public authorities took part in the two-day event, which was fittingly held at the port terminal of AG Reederei Norden-Frisia.

The 21 presentations and subsequent discussions focused on how ship and boat hulls can be better protected against biofouling in order to reduce the associated increase in friction – and consequently in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions – without placing an unnecessary burden on the marine environment. Even an inconspicuous biofilm on hulls leads to a significant increase. Consequently, interim inspections and cleaning of ships whilst in the water have come increasingly into focus in recent years, with a view to achieving the goal of climate neutrality for shipping by 2050. Presentations were given on the topics of coatings, cleaning technologies and regulatory frameworks, highlighting the realisation that, whilst much is already technically feasible, progress is often hindered by the fact that the rules governing when, where and how cleaning may be carried out in the water have not yet been defined. The BSH and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), as federal authorities, and the Bremen Senate Department for the Environment, as a state authority, aim to establish a framework for local authorities, as it is their responsibility to grant authorisation for cleaning operations.

Dr. Brill + Partner are carrying out valuable research in this area through several projects:

Biologist Soyla Kraus presented the BioSHIP project, in which new coatings are being developed in collaboration with Fraunhofer IFAM, Momentive Performance Materials and the company Hydrotox; these coatings contain biodegradable substances and thus release fewer biocides and microplastics. In 2027, the most promising coatings are also set to be tested on a Frisia ferry.

Dr Florian Gerland from the University of Kassel presented the LABROID project, in which a cleaning robot is being further developed in collaboration with DBP so that, using cameras and AI analysis, it can autonomously detect the extent of fouling on the ship’s hull whilst underway and clean it accordingly. The Briese shipping company from Leer is providing ship units for this project.

Benjamin Emde from the Hannover Laser Centre presented the joint project AquaLas, which aims to eliminate biofouling on aquaculture nets using laser radiation. Tests for outdoor facilities are taking place at DBP on Norderney, whilst those for indoor facilities are being conducted at Fraunhofer IMTE in Büsum.

Bernd Daehne from DBP emphasises that what makes the conference on Norderney unique is the high proportion of representatives from public authorities, who must, of course, be fully on board when it comes to the regulatory aspects of underwater cleaning. The Maritime Cluster Northern Germany summarises the event as follows: “Not every question can be conclusively answered in three days – but we have brought together important perspectives, further developed topics and taken away new ideas for the next steps. This is an important step towards developing solutions for biofouling management that are supported by the various stakeholders. As the Maritime Cluster of Northern Germany, we are happy to act as a network to continue this dialogue and connect the participants with one another.”

The participants also praised the successful event and hope it will be repeated in 2027.

The following publications have reported in detail on the 3rd Biofouling Management Conference:

• Norderneyer Morgen – Link: here

The first paper by Masoumeh Kashiri, a PhD student at the Dr. Brill Institute, was published in *Extremophiles*: “Assessment of pathogenic traits in selected bacteria isolated from snowy environments in France and Greenland”, which was produced as part of the ICEBIO project and is also the very first publication to emerge from this project. The new study shows that cold-adapted bacteria of the genera Peribacillus, Sphingomonas and Subtercola, isolated from snowy regions of the French Alps and Greenland, are genetically equipped primarily for survival under extreme conditions and not for clinical pathogenicity, despite isolated instances of resistance. Full details of this publication, including a download link, can be found under ‘Publications’ – HERE.

"Extremophiles" features original research articles, reviews, and method papers on the biology, molecular biology, structure, function, and applications of microbial life at the edges of survivability.

The second edition of the Online-Update Hygiene und Infektionsprävention (Online Update on Hygiene and Infection Prevention) in 2026 is just around the corner. It is being organised as part of the HIHeal (Hygiene, Infection & Health) project, a joint initiative between Life Science Nord, the Hospital Hygiene Unit at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and DR. BRILL INSTITUTES.

This time, the focus will be on the Water Safety Plan (WSP) as a preventive concept for ensuring drinking water hygiene. In addition to risk assessment – a key component in drawing up a WSP in a medical setting – and a practical review in the hospital setting, the event will also cover the monitoring of Hamburg’s wastewater.

Presentations and speakers:

• Risk assessment as an integral part of the WSP – 10 years’ experience at Aqua free
  Frank Hille and Stefan Dimter / Aqua free
• Watch out for aquaplaning! A reality check on the Water Safety Plan in hospitals
  Dr Ursula Perez-Lemm / Marienkrankenhaus
• Detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in Hamburg’s wastewater
  Dr Silja Bühler / Institute for Hygiene and the Environment

We warmly invite you to this event and look forward to your participation and to exchanging views with you and our experts. The event will take place in German via Zoom. You will automatically receive the link to the meeting via email with your registration confirmation. You can find all further information and the registration form HERE.

At the Freiburger Infektiologie- und Hygienekongress 2026 (Freiburg Congress on Infectious Diseases and Hygiene), Dr Florian H. H. Brill will be taking part in one of the congress’s lunch symposia. The topic of the symposium is: "From the laboratory to practice – how wetting and product design influence the effectiveness of surface disinfectant wipes". It will take place on Day 1 of the congress (7 October 2026), from 12.30 to 13.30, in Conference Room 9 (Dr Schumacher GmbH). If you would like to know more about the topic of the lunch symposium, or if you are attending the congress in Freiburg and are interested in meeting Dr Brill, please do get in touch – for example, by email: HERE

Congress information: With over 1,500 participants, the annual Freiburger Infektiologie- und Hygienekongress is one of the most significant continuing professional development events in the German-speaking world. Set against the charming backdrop of the Freiburg Konzerthaus, renowned hygiene experts from Germany and abroad offer valuable insights into the latest findings. This makes the congress an internationally recognised highlight in the medical discipline of infectious diseases and hygiene. This year, the Freiburger Infektiologie- und Hygienekongress is taking place under the patronage of the Federal Minister for Health, Dr Carsten Linnemann, thereby sending a strong signal in support of infection prevention and hygiene.

The Freiburger Infektiologie- und Hygienekongress is organised by BZH GmbH Deutsches Beratungszentrum für Hygiene (German Advisory Centre for Hygiene). Dates: 7 October 2026 – 9 October 2026, in Freiburg.

The conference and the symposia will be held in German. Further information on the Freiburger Infektiologie- und Hygienekongress 2026 can be found on the congress website – HERE.