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Ballast Water

Industry gears up for

ballast water ratiication

Ballast water was a hotly-debated topic at the recent 68th Today, as more treatment systems are negotiated and

session of the International Maritime Organization’s installed, questions about working principles are giving way to
complex questions of operating and business leixibility.
Marine Environment Protection Committee in London
as the shipping industry eagerly awaits ratiication of the “The story of PureBallast is one of uncompromising

Ballast Water Convention.innovation,” said Stephen Westerling Greer, Global Business
The IMO’s 2004 Convention lays down strict guidelinesManager for the system.

for the treatment and discharge of ballast water and already in “Alfa Laval has faced obstacles without resorting to shortcuts,
force as of 1st January 2015 in US waters, universal ratiication and that policy is proving its worth as the market toughens.”

is expected to occur during the next six months.PureBallast – for which Alva Laval is currently seeking
The new legislation will require tens of thousands of vessels USGC type approval - handles water in liquid form at frigid

to be retroitted with new ballast water treatment systemstemperatures, and since January 2015 has been certiied for all
and credible suppliers with robust ballast water management water types – fresh, brackish and marine.

systems have already started the application process for US Meanwhile, a joint development between PSM
Coast Guard (USCG) type approval.Instrumentation and Chelsea Technologies Group is aiming to

Wärtsilä is one such company that has already engaged in address two important aspects of the new regulations which

the process and recently received another important order for it says must form part of the overall treatment regime in order
its Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) to be ittedto be effective in ensuring environmental compliance – point

in three new container ships being built for a major European of discharge measurement and recording and reporting of
shipping company at China’s Jinhai Shipyard. Each of the treatment activities.

vessels will be itted with a 500m3 capacity Wärtsilä Aquarius The new rules are governed by strict liability laws, meaning
UV BWMS which uses a two-stage approach involving iltration operators or owners can be considered guilty without a inding

and medium pressure UV disinfection technology.of fault. The authorities need only prove the event occurred,
“Ballast water management is an important feature of the with the owners being held responsible for the discharge.

overall emphasis on environmentally sustainable shipping,” said Chelsea Technologies Group has developed the FastBallast
Lars Bo Kirkegaard, General Manager, BWMS Sales, Wärtsilä Compliance Monitor which, using complex algorithims, can

Ship Power.quickly determine if ballast water discharge is compliant while

Another company offering a ballast water treatment PSM Instrumentation has come up with a modular solution,
system is Alfa Laval which launched its PureBallast BallastView, which comprises a suite of onboard and shoreside

commercially back in 2006. Back then it was a market full of hardware and software elements, developed to ensure vessel
uncertainty as little was clear about the real-world challenges are operated eficiently, safely and in an environmentally

of meeting the IMO’s Convention.responsible manner. u

38 The SHIP Supplier Issue 65 2015