Franmarine wins Biosecurity Award for Hull Cleaner

Franmarine of Australia has won the Innovation Category of the Excellence in Marine Biosecurity Award 2014 for its Envirocart hull cleaning system.

The Western Australian Department of Fisheries received a number of high quality nominations for this new award celebrating innovation and excellence in the management of marine biosecurity. The nominations were assessed by an expert panel consisting of Lyn Beazley (former chief scientist and biosecurity champion for Western Australia), Kevin Goss (member of the state’s biosecurity council and Stuart Smith (director general of the Department of Fisheries).

The panel considered Franmarine’s in-water hull cleaning and filtration system to be at the leading edge of innovation and design. It was also impressed that Franmarine is working to ensure the system is continuously improved to meet the needs of both industry and regulators, and even seeking a use for the by-product of the cleaning process.

The panel noted the significance of the fact that other states are requesting the use of the Envirocart for vessel management.

Envirocart is now capable of conducting in water cleaning adhering to this guidance statement and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry guidelines. These combined guidelines form some of the most stringent regulations for in water cleaning worldwide.