When algae, mussels or barnacles settle on ship hulls, this can lead to billions of euros worth of damage. To counteract this, they are treated with antifouling coatings. A scientist at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) has now investigated the extent to which newly developed antifouling coatings could be used to curb algal growth, which often affects coral larvae as they settle and develop. The results of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.