Antifouling is one of the few paints governed by an international treaty. Buyers do not need the legal history, but three facts affect what goes on a hull in the UAE today.
TBT is gone everywhere
The IMO International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti Fouling Systems entered into force in 2008 and banned tributyltin based paints worldwide after evidence of severe harm to marine life. Any vessel, anywhere, carrying TBT paint must have it removed or sealed. Nothing sold legitimately in the UAE contains it, and old stock from informal channels should be refused on sight.
Cybutryne followed
The convention was amended so that from 2023 vessels shall not apply or bear the biocide cybutryne, marketed historically as Irgarol. Reputable current formulations have already replaced it, which is one more reason to buy current stock from documented suppliers rather than aged pails.
Copper remains the standard
Copper based biocides, usually cuprous oxide, remain permitted and are the backbone of effective antifouling worldwide, including the UAE. Some jurisdictions abroad restrict copper in specific marinas; no such general restriction applies here. The one hard technical rule stands regardless: copper products must never go directly on aluminium hulls or drives.
What documentation to expect
Commercial vessels over 400 GT carry an International Anti Fouling System Certificate; classification surveyors check coating declarations at dry docking. For workboats and yachts, the practical requirement is simpler: buy convention compliant product with a current technical and safety data sheet, and keep the record of what was applied.
MENA Industrial Supplies supplies compliant antifouling with full documentation from Dubai stock, quoted the same working day on the marine paint page.