Overview
We adopted the iceberg model to explore the alignment of HullGuard with seven key SDGs. This model helps us break through the surface influence, while uncovering the explicit effects and implicit system connections of the project, thereby revealing how HullGuard can form synergy with the global sustainable development agenda.
For each SDG, we analyze the project's response to related challenges and explore the interactions among the SDGs - including the mutual promotion among goals and the paths to alleviate potential contradictions. This holistic analytical perspective highlights the role of HullGuard in promoting the multi-dimensional process of sustainable development.
Value identification
The International Maritime Organization has identified sustainability as a key priority, and our project aligns perfectly with this. Zosteric acid has several remarkable features that make it a highly sustainable solution. It has extremely low toxicity, which means it poses minimal harm to the marine environment. Moreover, it is biodegradable, ensuring that it won't leave behind harmful residues over time. These characteristics give it long-term productivity and the ability to offer long-lasting protection against barnacle growth on ships.
Carbon emission, green growth and innovation at the core of our sustainability research, as HullGuard aims to improve effectiveness and enhance salability. In addition, it can be linked to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, further highlighting its positive impact.
Sustainable Development Goals
We have established a systematic sustainability analysis framework ranging from the "Event Layer" to the "Mindset Layer", with the Iceberg Model and SDG Interaction Map at its core. This framework analyzes Hullguard’s multi-dimensional impact on sustainable development through a three-tier structure:
At the Event Layer, ZA bio-coating technology reduces hull pollution and heavy metal exposure, directly contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
At the Patterns & Systems Layer, the collaboration network of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and the restructuring of low-cost production chains drive the coordinated development of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
At the Mindsets Layer, open education and public science popularization foster sustainable development awareness, promoting the long-term synergy between SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 12.
This iceberg model-based analytical framework provides great reference for other SDG researchers: it allows direct reuse of its "Event-Structural-Mindset" layered logic to avoid fragmented analysis, helps easily identify SDG correlations of research objects and clarify positive feedback between goals, and offers insights to balance short-term implementability with long-term forward-looking perspective in studies.
Life & Health
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
-14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
-14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
-14.A Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Problem Identification
Marine sustainability is under growing pressure from the continued use of copper- and organotin-based antifouling coatings. The International Maritime Organization (IMO, 2021) reports that over 90 % of vessels still rely on copper systems, releasing 50 000 – 60 000 tons of metal biocides annually. These chemicals persist in sediments for decades and enter marine food webs; copper concentrations near shipyards can exceed 1 000 mg kg⁻¹, far above ecological limits (Turner, 2010; IMO GESAMP, 2021). They impair larval shell formation, suppress coral growth, and disturb microbial communities that regulate carbon and nitrogen cycles (Dafforn et al., 2015), thereby amplifying ocean acidification. At the structural level, this dependency reflects the economic inertia of the maritime-coatings market: performance reliability and price competitiveness outweigh ecological risk. The World Bank (2022) estimates that fouling raises fuel consumption by 30–40 %, producing a US $ 150 billion annual burden in extra fuel and maintenance (Schultz et al., 2011). Such pressure entrenches copper use as the “safe choice.”
Our Human Practices interviews revealed that the root obstacle is trust, not ignorance.
“Copper-based fungicides are effective but toxic.”
---- Dr. Markus Hoffmann
“Traditional anti-fouling coatings rely heavily on toxic copper-based components, but this industry is under increasing pressure to transition to environmentally friendly alternatives.”
---- Dr. Lixiang Wang
“Current anti-pollution maintenance measures are inefficient and labor-intensive.”
---- Dr. Fulin Sun
From HP analysis, we learned that sustainability failure is systemic: regulatory lag, economic risk aversion, and technological distrust reinforce one another. HullGuard’s challenge therefore extends beyond chemistry—it must rebuild stakeholder confidence that bio-based innovation can be both reliable and profitable.
How HullGuard Works Towards This Goal
In response, our solution—HullGuard—uses zosteric acid (ZA) as a safe, effective, and scalable alternative. ZA eliminates bioaccumulation risks because it self-degrades in seawater into harmless small molecules, leaving no residual pollution after its effective period. Unlike copper-based coatings, which pollute for long durations, ZA enables a fully non-toxic lifecycle from synthesis to degradation, directly advancing SDG 14.1’s goal to “significantly reduce land-based pollution.”.
---- Dr. Lixiang Wang
This “non-lethal deterrence” spares plankton, juvenile fish, and coral ecosystems, reducing unintended damage and shifting the focus from passive restoration to proactive defense, aligning with SDG 14.2 on sustainable ecosystem protection.
But protection also requires inclusivity. Traditional coatings are costly, harmful, and technologically exclusive, leaving the Global South behind. HullGuard aims to break these barriers by leveraging microbial biosynthesis, which cuts energy use by 65% compared to chemical synthesis and avoids toxic solvents. By making ZA production an open, accessible platform, HullGuard advances SDG 14.a—“enhancing scientific knowledge and transferring marine technologies to Small Island Developing States”—empowering developing nations to protect their blue economies.
SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
-3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.
Problem Identification
The toxic legacy of antifouling paints directly threatens public health. The WHO (2017) and UNEP (2019) identify copper, zinc and organotin as major contaminants entering seafood chains. Edible shellfish collected near harbors often contain > 200 µg Cu kg⁻¹, exceeding safe intake (Fent, 2006; Turner, 2010). TBT and Cu²⁺ disrupt endocrine and neural functions and accumulate in human tissues through seafood consumption.
Through our HP interviews with fishery workers in Zhuhai and Guangzhou, we heard first-hand that “customers worry about metal residues in shellfish.” For many families whose income depends on aquaculture, pollution translates into market loss and health fear simultaneously. Dr. Hoffmann remarked that “toxic coatings don’t stay on hulls—they cycle through ecosystems,” a statement we later validated by literature data on bioaccumulation factors (> 10³).
Workers also bear hidden risks. The ILO (2020) reported a 25–30 % higher incidence of chemical illness in shipyards than in other industries. Our visit to Dongguan ship maintenance facilities confirmed this: manual scraping and solvent application occur without adequate respiratory protection.
“The inefficiency and health hazards of current maintenance practices make the job risky for workers.”
---- Mr. Fulin Sun
These HP findings reveal that marine pollution is a public-health inequality issue. Communities that depend on the sea for food and employment suffer both exposure and economic loss. This insight redirected our design goals from simply reducing toxicity to creating a material that is biodegradable, worker-safe, and socially accessible.
How HullGuard works towards this goal
HullGuard directly supports SDG 3 by replacing toxic coatings with a ZA-based antifouling solution. ZA is biodegradable, non-toxic, and synthesized through microbial fermentation, ensuring seafood safety and protecting communities reliant on marine resources.
By excluding hazardous substances like copper and organotin, HullGuard also improves working conditions in shipyards. With safer application and minimal protective requirements, it reduces health risks and simplifies waste management. This directly advances SDG 3.9, which aims to reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and contamination.
SDG 13: Climate Action
-13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
Problem Identification
Climate change is inseparable from industrial production and marine operations. In the shipping sector, both fuel consumption and coating manufacture contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. The IMO (2021) attributes roughly 3% of total global CO₂ emissions to international shipping alone. Traditional copper-based coatings intensify this impact in two ways: their manufacturing is energy-intensive—requiring high-temperature pigment calcination and solvent evaporation — and their poor fouling resistance increases hydrodynamic drag, forcing ships to burn more fuel.
To understand HullGuard’s position in this landscape, we conducted a cradle-to-gate life-cycle assessment (LCA) of our zosteric acid (ZA) production pathway. The system boundary included fermentation → harvesting → formulation, with an inventory of all energy, feedstock, and waste flows. Emission factors were applied to quantify global warming potential (GWP).
“Coating research should be intrinsically linked to its environmental impact, for example, carbon emissions, to avoid unintended pollution.”
---- Prof.Peng Jin
Our LCA results revealed that HullGuard’s GWP is 3.38 kg CO₂ e per liter, compared with 7.28 kg CO₂ e per liter for traditional copper coatings—a 66 % reduction. The largest emission contributors were identified in aeration and drying, guiding future optimization.
Human Practice analysis reinforced the importance of quantifying sustainability. During stakeholder interviews, engineers and policy experts stressed that “green claims” must be supported by verifiable data to be credible. This feedback led us to integrate carbon accounting into our modeling and communication strategy, aligning research with regulatory expectations under SDG 13.2.
How HullGuard Works Towards This Goal
By quantifying and minimizing its life-cycle carbon footprint, HullGuard operationalizes Target 13.2. Its microbial fermentation platform eliminates high-temperature synthesis and solvent evaporation, achieving a 66 % reduction in GWP. Beyond production, HullGuard’s antifouling efficiency reduces hull drag, lowering vessel fuel use and cutting CO₂ emissions during service. Through transparent LCA reporting and continuous optimization, HullGuard demonstrates how biotechnological innovation can serve as a low-carbon, data-driven framework for climate-conscious industrial policy. If you are interested in the detailed LCA model and calculation process, you can explore it further on our Modeling and Entrepreneurship pages.
Economic and Industry
We've illustrated how our project can improve the lives of marine organisms and humans. However, a single biodegradable and sustainable coating material is not enough to produce large-scale improvements in marine environments and the sustainable development of marine industries. Industrial change involves actively interacting with relevant stakeholders, officials, and policies. A good industry should be productive and sustainable in its production, development, and employment. By interacting with coating stakeholders and marine policies, we are determined to improve not only the coating industry, but also regional economies. This allows us to strive towards SDGs 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure).
SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
-8.3 Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
Problem Identification
Traditional antifouling often relies on manual scraping of barnacles, exposing workers to sharp shells, solvents, and long hours in unsafe conditions. This is inefficient, hazardous, and provides little opportunity for skill growth.
“As a small coating company, we know green coatings are promising, but without training and financial support, it’s hard for us to adopt them.”
---- Dr. Lixiang Wang
From HP interviews with factory owners and technicians, we identified the economic root: most SMEs lack capital and technical support to adopt greener processes. Dr. Lixiang Wang admitted, “Green coatings are promising, but without training and financial support, it’s hard for us to adopt them.” The OECD (2021) confirms that > 70% of marine SMEs operate on outdated equipment and short-term contracts, trapping them in low-innovation equilibria.
HP analysis showed that industrial upgrading cannot be imposed top-down — it requires inclusive knowledge transfer and pilot validation that reduces perceived risk. These insights directly shaped HullGuard’s entrepreneurship plan: to develop an open-protocol biosynthesis platform and co-develop training modules with local SMEs, turning green technology into a source of decent work.
How HullGuard works towards this goal
HullGuard provides a biology-based alternative that creates both environmental and economic value. Synthetic biology enables scalable, low-cost ZA production, opening opportunities for SMEs to adopt eco-friendly coatings.
“Synthetic biology provides a route for low-cost, scalable ZA production.”
---- Dr. XXX
We plan to build a knowledge-transfer model with pilot testing, open-access protocols, and standardized formulations. This lowers technical and financial thresholds, enabling SMEs to innovate.
“The inefficiency and injury risk of scraping makes workers undervalued. Preventive coatings would be a safer solution.”
---- Mr. Fulin Sun
HullGuard aligns with SDG 8.3 by empowering SMEs, fostering entrepreneurship, and transforming dangerous low-skill labor into safer, innovation-driven opportunities.
SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
-9.4 By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
-9.5 Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
Problem Identification
Global coating manufacture illustrates a broader innovation bottleneck. The UNCTAD (2022) notes that developing countries allocate < 1% of industrial R&D to marine technologies; most eco-coatings are import-dependent and face 18–24 month certification delays (IMO, 2021). This creates a technology monopoly that excludes local enterprises.
“ZA's high solubility limits performance, but biodegradable encapsulation can control release effectively.”
---- Dr. Markus Hoffmann
Developing regions also lack affordable access due to monopolized technologies and certification hurdles. Shipyards face downtime and high costs with current methods, while adoption of alternatives is slowed by compatibility and regulatory barriers.
“Our main concern is whether new coatings can be certified quickly and work with our existing primer systems. If application requires extra steps or new equipment, we won’t use it.”
---- Mr. Youyuan Huang
How HullGuard works towards this goal
HullGuard uses microbial biosynthesis to sustainably produce ZA, avoiding destructive seaweed harvesting. With expert guidance, we are testing biodegradable encapsulation to ensure controlled release and stable performance.
“When optimizing an enzyme pathway, you must combine functional prediction with stability checks to ensure feasibility.”
---- Dr. Honghao Su
Guided by this, we applied multi-algorithmic design to enhance ZA biosynthesis, improving efficiency and reliability. By aligning with regulatory needs and practical workflows, HullGuard promotes clean technology adoption and supports local innovation. This directly advances SDG 9.4 and SDG 9.b by upgrading industry and fostering sustainable industrialization.
Education & Changing Habits
Large-scale sustainability impacts often rely on policy changes and technological innovation, but long-term progress requires shifts in public habits, mindsets, and everyday behavior. However, unfamiliarity with synthetic biology can lead to hesitation among consumers and producers. To bridge this gap, we provide free, inclusive educational resources that not only make synthetic biology accessible and engaging, but also address persistent disparities in STEM education—especially in under-resourced communities. By equipping more young people with relevant scientific skills and linking learning to real-world challenges, we empower individuals to make informed, responsible choices. In doing so, we advance both SDGs 4 (Quality Education) and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), promoting a culture of sustainability through knowledge and participation.
SDG 4 - Quality Education
-4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university
-4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
-4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development
Problem Identification
Education is the foundation of sustainable innovation, yet biotechnology remains inaccessible to many students. The UNESCO (2023) report shows that > 40% of schools in developing regions lack laboratory facilities and trained STEM teachers. This gap creates a generation that understands biology as theory rather than solution.
During our HP education outreach in Jinshan Valley School and Pui Kui College, we observed how direct experience transforms perception.
“Our students rarely have the chance to work in a lab. Science feels abstract and exam-driven.”
---- Teacher (Shenzhen Hong Kong Pui Kui College Longhua Xinyi School)
“This is the first time I feel science is really about solving environmental problems, not just exams.”
---- Student (Jinshan Valley School)
How HullGuard works towards this goal
To address this, we upload all teaching materials, game kits, and lab protocols online, free of charge, giving students equal access regardless of financial or geographic barriers. We also run workshops on DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and biofouling simulations. These activities equip youth with practical skills and prepare them for future green jobs.
“This kind of contextualized, hands-on education makes sustainability meaningful for students.”
---- Teacher (Shenzhen Hong Kong Pui Kui College Longhua Xinyi School)
Our open, inclusive curriculum supports SDG 4.3, 4.4, and 4.7 by ensuring equal access, building technical skills, and promoting responsible global citizenship.
SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
-12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
-12.8 By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
Problem Identification
The marine-coatings sector demonstrates how unsustainable consumption persists through economic and cultural feedback loops. According to the OECD (2022), it accounts for ≈ 1.2 % of global chemical waste; yet bio-based alternatives represent < 10 % of market share. Transition is hampered by cost concerns, performance uncertainty and habitual use of metal paints.
“Our biggest concern is whether bio-based antifouling can balance performance and cost.”
---- Mr. Youyuan Huang
“We’ve been using the same coating practices for decades. Switching to bio-based materials feels risky and unfamiliar. If HullGuard truly reduces hull cleaning frequency and environmental impact, we’d be eager to try it.”
---- Mr. Xiaohuan Li (boat owner)
Our HP surveys showed that resistance to change is not purely economic — it is rooted in trust and experience. Users lack data on longevity and maintenance savings, and there is no feedback mechanism to evaluate green products. We therefore organized comparative interviews and cost-simulation exercises with boat owners and SMEs, which revealed a common pattern: when people see evidence of reduced cleaning frequency, their willingness to adopt rises significantly.
HP reflection taught us that responsible production requires responsible communication. The challenge is not to convince consumers of moral value, but to translate scientific evidence into economic logic. Only then can bio-based innovation shift from niche experiment to mainstream industry.
How HullGuard works towards this goal
ZA is biodegradable, non-toxic, and cost-effective via biosynthesis. By replacing copper-based paints, it eliminates persistent chemical waste and lowers long-term costs. Through interviews with SMEs, fishermen, and boat owners, we refined our design to address concerns of cost, durability, and convenience, while building trust in green technologies. This advances SDG 12.4 and SDG 12.8 by ensuring environmentally sound management of chemicals and promoting sustainable practices among consumers and industries. Interactions between SDGs
Interactions between SDGs
The positive synergies or negative trade-offs between SDGs essentially stem from the deep interconnectedness of the global social, economic, and environmental systems. All goals influence one another due to the allocation of shared resources, overlapping stakeholder needs, and systemic interdependencies—this precisely reflects the complexity of sustainable development challenges.
Analyzing these interactions is crucial: it not only identifies positive linkages between goals to amplify benefits but also forecasts negative risks for early mitigation, shifting sustainable actions from fragmented efforts to integrated planning.
This framework transforms SDGs from symbolic targets into quantifiable, interactive tools for systematic analysis, demonstrating the structural impact of synthetic biology in global sustainable governance.
Conclusion
Based on the analysis of the iceberg model, the value created by HullGuard far exceeds its core technical functions themselves. HullGuard contributes to all seven SDGs it focuses on (SDGS 3, 4, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14) by addressing key challenges in the fields of health, education, economy, industry, consumption, and Marine ecology. It is worth noting that through our analysis, we have found that SDGs can have either positive or negative impacts on each other. Clarifying the relationships among SDGs is of crucial importance for promoting global sustainable development.Essentially, HullGuard is a systematic driver of sustainable development. Our analysis results emphasize that to promote sustainable development, an integrated SDG approach that takes into account multiple aspects should be adopted - leveraging innovative means to link and advance multiple key tasks for sustainable development.