the IHS Ballast Water Guide - RWO Marine Water Technology

IHS Fairplay Solutions Guide to Ballast Water Treatment Systems Sponsored by
Practicalities
With so many systems either fully
approved or expected to be approved
shortly, there is increasing pressure for
the mandatory installation programme
to begin without further delay. There are
likely to be benefi ts for operators willing
to consider installation ahead of any
mandatory deadlines, as there could be a
price advantage if manufacturers offer
incentives for early orders to recoup
some of their R&D costs. Another factor
is the ability of shipyards to
accommodate the rush to install
equipment when the retrofi t deadlines hit.
The choice of supplier is something that
will need careful consideration bearing in
mind that the system chosen is likely to
be in use throughout the working life of
the ship. The sheer number of ships that
will come under the BWM Convention will
include tens of thousands of existing vessels
needing retrofi ts.
However, once this bonanza has passed,
manufacturers will only have the spares
and service aftermarket and an average of
around a thousand new ships per year to
provide an income. The newbuilding market
from 2016 onward is surely not suffi cient
to support all of the systems now on the
market or being developed.
When contemplating the implementation
of a BWTS an operator needs to look at
various practicalities – primarily that the
system will guarantee full compliance with
the BWM Convention (once fully ratifi ed)
and also that it will fi t within the space
available on board.
A lot of companies have employed the
ideas learned from experience in wastewater
treatment systems.
An eff ective system should also both
reduce the energy needed to haul sediment
build-up and increase the ship’s cargocarrying
capacity.
The design of the ballast system pipe
layout needs to be borne in mind, as well.
Some systems make use of components
that can be placed at various locations
around the ship. For those systems that use
active substances to treat micro-organisms,
suffi cient stocks of those substances will
have to be carried on board to satisfy the
number of units installed and the frequency
and quantity of ballast operations.
Many systems use the eff ect of UV on
water, or the properties of seawater to react
to electric currents, to generate the active
substance on board, which means that
there is no need to hold stocks of an active
substance on board.
Another important aspect is the low
operating pressure of an ultraviolet
disinfection system, which saves costs in
retrofi ts by allowing existing pumps to be
employed and thereby often eliminating the
need for reconstruction.
Maintenance and inspections are essential
for all systems. Abrasive sediment must not
be allowed to build up and aff ect ballast tank
coatings. Lamps and fi lters will need to be
replaced and some form of pre-fi ltration is
often desirable.
Closely linked to maintenance is the level
of training needed to ensure the system is
operated correctly. Although most systems
feature a high level of automation, others
will require more manual intervention
especially if active substances are involved.
40 © IHS Global Limited 2012
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