Thousands of ships sail at reduced speed and use up to 30% more fuel due to far too much fouling on their hulls and propellers, which are not cleaned frequently enough or in the proper manner, according to web-based vessel cleaning platform CleanQuote.

Biofilm, algae, fouling, and marine organisms on hulls and propellers cost the world's shipping companies billions of dollars each year, the Danish start-up has found, claiming that a ship without fouling spends over $10m less on fuel over a f...