FISH FARMING TECHNOLOGY
Antifouling
Innovations in systems for marine vessels by Chris Ryan, Director, Marine Growth Prevention Specialists
MGPS are distributors for ShipSonic antifouling systems, based in Scotland. ShipSonic is manufactured in the Netherlands, with headquarters based in Goes in Zeeland and manufacturing facilties also in Den Bosch. MGPS Ltd’s core mission is to take ShipSonic to the world and introduce it to the marine industry. MGPS’ backgrounds compliment this mission. Chris Ryan is a former deep-sea marine engineering officer on large cargo, offshore and passenger ships as well as a former tugboat Chief Engineer. The MGPS team also includes Gavin Fisher, a sales and marketing expert who has years of experience in the environmentally friendly antifouling sector. Managing Director, Sharon Owens, has a background in the medical fields giving her an understanding of the biological side of the equation. Having worked together on various other projects in the past, including a rival antifouling system, MGPS came together in mid-2019 to bring an effective antifouling system to the marine industry that didn’t itself have any environmental impact. Having grown increasingly frustrated working with ultrasonic antifouling systems, seeing the hints of success behind the technology but struggling with reliability and inconsistent results, the team had tried to encourage distributors to engage in feedback and develop their product. However, most products are designed and aimed for the leisure boat market and few individuals involved with the sector seemed to wish to push this concept on into the next generation, for aquaculture and other forms of marine vessels.
36 | April 2020 - International Aquafeed