the IHS Ballast Water Guide - RWO Marine Water Technology

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IHS Fairplay Solutions Guide to Ballast Water Treatment Systems Sponsored by UV irradiation causes confusion The potential for an element used in a treatment system to cause a problem if discharged is one of the greatest concerns for environmentalists. For this reason, any system using an active substance is tested rigorously before receiving fi rst basic and then fi nal approval. The experience of this supplier and its testing body may prompt much tighter examination on both sides. Confusion has dogged the use of ultraviolet (UV) light in ballast water systems, with some administrations treating its use as an active substance while others maintain that the short-term changes to water chemistry resulting from its use should not require any specifi c approval. Many of the systems seeking G9 approval make use of UV treatment and most have been granted basic or fi nal approval, but UV treatment is still being debated. In 2010, Aquaworx, which has developed the lowpressure UV system in a joint venture with Danish company Aalborg Industries, switched from the G9 to G8 approval route after the German authorities decided that there was no active substance involved. Aquaworx insists that the AquaTriComb system does not make use of any chemicals but works instead using a combination of fi ltration, UV and ultrasound to remove and destroy organisms. The Hyde Guardian is another system that uses UV and which earlier followed the G8 process; it was fully typeapproved in April 2009. Some systems-makers may decide to follow suit and switch routes, but a number of others have decided to continue on down the G9 path. To help vessel operators meet the IMO’s impending ballast water discharge requirements, UV disinfection specialist Hanovia, together with two other specialist companies, Panasia Engineering and Hyde Marine, has developed onboard ballast water treatment systems that the company says are easy to install and use. Environmental damage caused by alien species transported in ballast water is regarded as one of the greatest threats to the oceans of the world, the company notes. To help operators deal with the problem, Hanovia and its partners have devised a UV disinfection system that, in conjunction with a fi lter, is said to kill or remove virtually all the micro-organisms that may be present in ballast water. The system combines a high-intensity, mediumpressure UV disinfection unit with an automatic backfl ush fi lter. After passing through the fi lter to remove the larger organisms, the ballast water fl ows into the UV chamber for the destruction of smaller organisms. During deballasting, the water bypasses the fi lter but again fl ows through the UV chamber, where further irradiation kills any remaining micro-organisms. The system needs little space and can be mounted at any angle – which is particularly useful in the confi ned spaces of a vessel’s equipment room, Hanovia notes. “Once installed, the system requires little effort to operate by the crew,” the company added. The ultraviolet unit is equipped with automatic wipers to keep the UV lamps clean. The only maintenance that the crew needs to conduct is to replace the lamps once a year and to undertake occasional preventative work. 42 © IHS Global Limited 2012 042_043_BW1204.indd 42 21/03/2012 18:49:53 Photo: iStock
Sponsored by IHS Fairplay Solutions Guide to Ballast Water Treatment Systems Sampling and port state control Ballast water sampling and analysis procedures and the implementation protocol for port state control (PSC) were re-examined and planned to be fi nalised at MEPC 63, which was held from 27 February to 2 March. Two sets of draft guidance were submitted to the IMO Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG). One draft covered guidance on sampling and the other off ered advice on PSC issues. The result was a split between a group including the large fl ag states – including Panama and the Bahamas – and an EU-led group. The ICS has highlighted the chaotic state of ballast water treatment rules after the IMO BLG Sub-Committee agreed to alterations in the draft ballast water sampling and analysis guidelines that will be used by PSC. Effect of BWT on coatings This might be damaging to shipowners were it to be adopted by IMO contrary to what had previously been agreed by the MEPC. Accordingly, the ICS issued a strong statement at the end of the BLG meeting in January about the direction that had been taken. Now, with the support of many fl ag states, the draft guidelines will be reconsidered. This means, however, that the guidelines associated with sampling and analysis will not be approved until 2013 at the earliest, which is expected to delay the additional ratifi cations needed to bring the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention into force. The delay creates other problems for shipowners, because of the fi xed dates by which existing ships have to install the potentially expensive treatment equipment required by the convention. A potential consequence of ballast water treatment – at least for those systems that make use of an active substance – is the potential for damage to be caused to the wider ballast system. Coatings suppliers have expressed concern about the effect of treated water on paint and the risk of corrosion of ballast water tanks. The confl ict has arisen because the paint, as the last layer on, is traditionally considered accountable for the effect on the tank and the water it holds. Coating manufacturers argue that BWT systems appeared after coatings were developed, so the onus is on the system-makers to test their products against existing coatings. With no offi cial regulatory decision, the dispute rumbles on, but it is something that owners selecting either a tank coating or a ballast water treatment system should consider before coming to a fi nal decision. One of the main elements of a ballast system is its piping. Seawater is highly corrosive and pipes often need repair or replacement. Some new suppliers are promoting the advantages of composites over steel and there do appear to be more benefi ts than downsides to the idea. Claimed advantages include lightness, absence of corrosion and their potential for use in repairing damage to existing steel systems. © IHS Global Limited 2012 43 042_043_BW1204.indd 43 21/03/2012 18:49:56
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