Marine biofouling arises from the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms

plants and marine animals on submerged surface. It has adverse effects on shipping and other marine associated activities. For example

biofouling can increase the hydrodynamic drag of ships

accelerate the corrosion of a metallic substrate

block the cooling cycle pipe

decrease the service life of marine equipment and affect aquaculture systems. Anti-biofouling is a worldwide problem due to the diversity of fouling organisms and complex marine environments. So far

the most effective approach for anti-biofouling is to use biocidal coatings containing tributyltin (TBT) formulations. However

they are detrimental to non-target organisms and the surrounding environment. It is urgent to develop environment-friendly marine anti-biofouling materials. In this paper

we review the recent progress in design and preparation of polymeric materials for marine anti-biofouling

particularly the biodegradable polymer based materials.