# Ballast Water Treatment Advisory

## Our Mission

The mission of ABS is to serve the public interest as well as the needs of our clients by promoting the security of life, property and the natural environment primarily through the development and verifi cation of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.



## Quality & Environmental Policy

It is the policy of ABS to be responsive to the individual and collective needs of our clients as well as those of the public at large, to provide quality services in support of our mission, and to provide our services consistent with international standards developed to avoid, reduce or control pollution to the environment.

All of our client commitments, supporting actions, and services delivered must be recognized as expressions of Quality. We pledge to monitor our performance as an on-going activity and to strive for continuous improvement.

We commit to operate consistent with applicable environmental legislation and regulations and to provide a framework for establishing and reviewing environmental objectives and targets.ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 1 

# Ballast Water Treatment Advisory

Table of Contents

Introduction
I. Regulatory Developments a. International Regulatory Status (IMO) b. Overview of Some Regional, National & Local Regulations
II. BWT Technologies a. Overview of Treatment Technologies b. Treatment System Approval by IMO & Member States

III. BWT Considerations a. Considerations for Selection of Treatment Systems b. Treatment Technology Factors c. General Treatment System Considerations d. Challenges for Installation Engineering

IV. Evaluation Checklists a. Vessel Ballast System Particulars – Owner Supplied Data b. Ship & Service Characteristics that Impact BWT Selection – Owner Supplied Data c. Treatment Technology Factors – Vendor Supplied Data d. General Treatment System Considerations – Vendor Supplied Data e. Challenges for Installation Engineering – Owner Supplied Data
Appendix: Technical Information for Ballast Water Treatment Systems

Disclaimer The development and approval of ballast water treatment systems is a dynamic process. The information contained in this ABS Advisory Notice should not be construed as being all encompassing and readers are urged to contact ABS or review the latest IMO information available to determine the extent to which the status of the various systems included here may have changed and if other systems have been proposed for review and approval.2 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

# T he ballast water and sediments carried by ships have been identifi ed as a major pathway for the transport of harmful invasive aquatic organisms and pathogens. Ships often take on ballast water in one port and carry such ballast to other ports where it is discharged. The ballast water and sediments contain living organisms which, despite the harsh conditions in the ballast tanks and piping systems, survive to compete with native species in the port of discharge. If the non-native organisms have few natural predators or other natural controls they may become invasive and change the local ecosystems, sometimes dramatically.

The direct economic impact of aquatic invasive species, as well as the potential long term damage to the health of the local marine environment and the people who depend on that environment, is substantial and has been well documented. International, national and regional regulations have been implemented to control the transport of the aquatic organisms. The current efforts rely on ballast water management (BWM) practices, including ballast exchange, and other measures aimed at preventing or minimizing the uptake and discharge of contaminated water or sediment when ballasting or deballasting. These methods may not be completely effective in preventing invasive species and furthermore are not required if the safety of the vessel would be at risk during the exchange. Systems that treat ballast water to remove or kill organisms are not only potentially more reliable but are designed and installed to achieve measurable effi cacy levels while not impacting vessel safety.

This ABS Advisory Notice has been produced to summarize the current state of ballast water treatment regulations and available technologies in order to provide useful guidance to shipowners, operators, and builders in their decisions about suitable treatment options. This Notice contains fi ve sections: 

# Introduction

Section 1 Regulatory Developments

Section 2 Overview of Treatment Technologies

Section 3 Considerations for System Selection, Installation and Operation

Section 4 Evaluation Checklists Appendix Available SystemsABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 3 

# Section 1: 

# Regulatory Developments

International Regulatory Status (IMO)

In 2004, the IMO adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments. The Convention calls for ships to conduct a ballast water exchange or to meet a concentration-based ballast water dischargestandard in accordance with a gradually implemented schedule linked to the ship’s build date and the amount of ballast carried on board the ship.

Acceptance of the Convention has been slow. Entry into force will occur 12 months after ratification by 30 States representing 35 percent of world merchant shipping gross tonnage. The current information on ratifi cation is included in Table 1.Because of the slow pace of adoption, the implementation deadlines written into the Convention have become obsolete before they could become mandatory. This has required adjustments to theimplementation schedule. This uncertain regulatory schedule makes it all the more diffi cult for owners, builders and manufacturers to plan for the necessary equipment.

Until such time as the Convention enters into force and the implementation schedule becomes binding internationally, action to address the issue of invasive species is increasingly occurring at national, regional and local levels. More than a dozen individual nations, in addition to regions as diverse as northwest Europe, the Great Lakes and Antarctica, have introduced specifi c regulations addressing the discharge of ballast in their waters. Further complicating the issue, individual local government authorities such as those in California, Michigan, New York and others within the US, and the State of Victoria in Australia, have introduced local ballast water management requirements. A small number of these jurisdictions may prohibit the discharge of ballast water entirely (Panama within the Panama Canal), require chlorination (Buenos Aires), or restrict in-port discharge to an approved onshore reception facility.

Owners are encouraged to contact their relevant fl ag State, port agents or shipowner association for the latest specifi c information on national or regional requirements as new and additional requirements are being mandated on a regular basis. The following sections provide information on the requirements for treatment as outlined in the IMO Convention. A few signifi cant regional developments are also provided.


### Applicability of the IMO BWM Convention The 2004 IMO BWM Convention applies to all vessel types operating in the aquatic environment and designed to carry ballast water that are entitled to fl y the fl ag of a Party to the Convention. This includes submersibles, fl oating craft and platforms including fl oating storage units (FSUs) and fl oating production storage and offl oading units (FPSOs), although the applicable requirements vary. Refer to Table 1 for a list of Parties to the Convention.



### IMO BWM Convention Treatment Standards The Convention includes two regulations that prescribe ballast water management standards; Regulation D-1 addresses the Ballast Water Exchange standard and Regulation D-2 details the Ballast Water Performance standard.

Ballast water exchange is founded on the principle that organisms and pathogens contained in ballast water taken on board from coastal waters will not survive when discharged into deep oceans or open seas, as these waters have different temperatures, salinity and chemical composition. Similarly the deep ocean waters or open seas, when compared to the coastal waters, contain fewer organisms



### Table 1: Status of Ratifi cation of the IMO BWM Convention (As of 1 June 2010)

States % Tonnage Parties to the Convention:

Needed: 30 Needed: 35% Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Cook Islands, Egypt, France, Kenya, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Liberia,

Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain,

Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic and Tuvalu. Currently: 25 Currently: 24.28%4 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY Ballast

Cpty (m 3 ) Build Date *First Intermediate or Renewal Survey, whichever occurs fi rst, after the anniversary date of delivery in the respective year

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

< 1,500 < 2009

in 2009 Note: D-1 ; D-2 by 2nd Annual but not beyond 31 Dec. 2011 or EIF, whichever is later

> 2009 D-2 (at delivery or EIF, whichever is later)

> 1,500

or
< 5,000 < 2009

in 2009 Note: D-1 ; D-2 by 2nd Annual but not beyond 31 Dec. 2011 or EIF, whichever is later

> 2009 D-2 (at delivery or EIF, whichever is later)

> 5,000 < 2012

> 2012 and pathogens and those that do exist are less likely to adapt to the new coastal or freshwater environment. Therefore the probability of organism and pathogen transfer through ballast water is signifi cantly reduced.

As a result, an exchange of ballast water is performed while the vessel is located in the deep ocean. Ships performing ballast water exchange are required to do so with an effi ciency of at least 95 percent volumetric exchange. Acceptable methods for ballast water exchange are the Sequential Method, the Flow-through Method and the Dilution Method.

Noting that ballast water exchange presents signifi cant operational concerns and challenges, and also that ballast exchange may not provide a totally effective solution to reduce the spread of unwanted aquatic organisms and pathogens from ships’ ballast water over time, the Convention requires an upgrade to the installation of ballast water treatment systems in accordance with a specifi ed schedule.

The D-2 standard mandates compliance with a specifi ed biological result. This criterion is in the form of specifi c limits on aquatic life in the ballast discharge as detailed:

Ships conducting ballast water management in accordance with this regulation shall discharge: • Less than 10 viable organism per m 3 > 50μ in minimum dimension, and • Less than 10 viable organisms per ml < 50μ and >10μ in minimum dimension, and • Less than the following concentrations of indicator microbes: – Toxicognic Vibrio cholera less than 1 colony forming unit (cfu) per 100 ml, or less than 1 cfu per 1 gram zooplankton samples – Escherichia coli less than 250 cfu per 100 ml
– Intestinal Enterococci less than 100 cfu per 100 ml

The D-2 standard is the metric used to measure the effi cacy of the treatment system and it applies to the system as installed on board and used in actual operations. All treatment systems must be type approved by an Administration under a robust protocol which requires that they satisfy this standard in full scale operations. In any port or offshore terminal, an offi cer authorized by a Party to the Convention may board a vessel to which the Convention applies and test the ballast water discharge for compliance by taking samples.


### IMO Convention Compliance Timeframe Table 2 indicates the implementation schedule of the 2004 BWM Convention as revised by Resolution A.1005(25) which addresses ships with a build date of 2009. This adjustment was adopted as a result of a review of the entry into force provisions of the Convention during the 25th Session of the IMO Assembly in November 2007 and the stage of development of approved



### Table 2: IMO BWM Convention Implementation Schedule Revised per Resolution A.1005(25)

D-1 or D-2 D-2*

D-2* D-2*

D-1 or D-2 D-1 or D-2

D-2 (at delivery or EIF, whichever is later) N/A Note: EIF = Entry into forceABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 5 ballast water treatment technologies. Further clarifi cation was provided in IMO BWM.2/Circ.19 issued at the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in July 2009 about the implementation dates for the D-2 standard for ships built before 2009 with ballast capacity of no more than 5,000 m 3 and also ships built before 2012 with ballast capacity of more than 5,000 m 3

. The following examples are instructive in how to interpret Table 2. • A ship with a ballast capacity less than 5,000

m 3 constructed in 2009 will not be required to comply with regulation D-2 until its second annual survey but no later than 31 December 2011 or EIF, whichever is later. • A ship with a ballast water capacity of less than 5,000 m 3 constructed after 2009 shall be able to conduct treatment that at least meets the D-2 standard upon delivery or EIF, whichever is later. • A ship with a ballast water capacity of greater than 5,000 m 3 constructed before 2012 is required to comply with the D-2 standard not later than the fi rst intermediate or renewal survey, whichever occurs fi rst, after the anniversary date of the ship in 2016.


### Recent IMO Activity Related to the 2004 Convention MEPC 59, held in July 2009, further considered ships built in 2010 and the availability of approved treatment systems as well as the status of ratifi cation. The Committee agreed that there were a suffi cient number of approved ballast water treatment systems available to support the full implementation of the Convention and there was no need to delay the entry into force any further. The only remaining impediment that remains is ratifi cation by the required number of member States. Until shipyards begin to include treatment systems in their new building designs, the onus may rest with the owner to specify the installation of a ballast water treatment system (or at least plan for suffi cient space for future installation) in their contract with the shipyard or to retrofi t these systems into ships that are only a few years old.

At MEPC 59 new guidelines were also developed for the safe handling and storage of chemicals used to treat ballast water and for safety procedures for risks to the ship and crew resulting from the treatment process. 

### IMO Guidelines Available Since the adoption of the Convention, IMO has been working to develop a series of guidelines that further clarify and expand upon the requirements put forward in the Convention. All 14 of the planned guidelines have been completed and are available from IMO. A list of the guidelines supporting the Ballast Water Convention is as follows: G1. Sediment Reception Facilities MEPC.152(55) G2. Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling MEPC.173(58) G3. BW Equivalent Compliance MEPC.123(53) G4. BWM and the Development of BWM Plans MEPC.127(53) G5. BW Reception Facilities MEPC.153(55) G6. BW Exchange – Operational MEPC.124(53) G7. Risk Assessment under Regulation 4-A of the BW Convention MEPC.162(56) G8. Guidelines for Approval of BW Management Systems MEPC.125(53) Rev. MEPC.174(58) G9. Approval of BWM Systems that make use of Active Substances MEPC.126(53) Revision MEPC.169(57) G10. Approval and Oversight of Prototype BW Treatment Programs MEPC.140(54) G11. Guidelines for BW Exchange Design and Construction Standard MEPC.149(55) G12. Design and Construction to Facilitate Sediment Control on Ships MEPC.150(55)
G13. Guidelines for Additional Measures Regarding BWM Including Emergency Situations MEPC161(56) G14. Guidelines on Designation of Areas for BWE MEPC.151(55)

Note: BW = Ballast Water BWM = Ballast Water Management BWE = Ballast Water Exchange6 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY Of special interest to owners and builders are the requirements for ballast water sampling contained in G2 as it impacts ballast system design and operation. The objective of the G2 guideline is to provide all parties, including Port State Control offi cers, with practical and technical guidance on ballast water sampling and analysis for determining if the ship is in compliance with the ballast water management convention. It is important to note that the G2 guideline discusses general sampling procedures and does not address the legal requirements as the legislative procedures and requirements for enforcement action based on biological testing are signifi cantly different from country to country. The guideline includes the following important issues related to operation of the treatment system: • It was recognized by IMO that the sampling must

be simple, rapid and applicable at the point of ballast discharge and safe to the ship and crew. Time needed for the analysis of the collected samples shall not be used as a basis for unduly delaying the operation, departure or movement of the vessel. • The sample is to be taken from the discharge line, as near to the point of discharge as possible, during discharge. Note that the G8 guideline also calls for sampling points; however, the points in the G2 guideline are not just for testing during the type approval but also for in-service testing. Tank sampling for those systems which use a treatment system is not preferred as the scientifi c trials have shown that these samples may not provide accurate estimates of the organism concentration. An exception to this guidance may be when the ballast tanks are emptied through direct overboard discharge valves such as in upper wing tanks. • Isokinetic sampling ports are recommended so that the sample water is collected at the same fl ow rate as the ballast water in the discharge line, since this will lessen the likelihood of there being a difference in the organism and particulate matter concentrations. • Initial and indicative analysis to establish

whether a ship is complying with the D-2 standard may be undertaken by a microscope and, if further doubt exists, the samples are to undergo a more stringent analysis to establish if the D-2 standard is being met.The use of monitoring and in line recording devices of physical and/or chemical indicators are being proposed and developed as a valid means to verify that the ballast water is adequately treated and conforms to the ballast water treatment performance standard.

Regulation C-1 of the Convention enables a Party to the Convention, either individually or jointly with other parties, to take additional measures in addition to those in the Convention to prevent, reduce or eliminate the transfer of harmful organisms and pathogens. In recognizing the potential impact that such measures may have on international shipping, IMO developed the G13 guideline. The provisions in this regulation and guideline are interesting in that they allow for these additional measures under international Law only if the MEPC approves these additional measures. The evaluation criteria to be used by the MEPC in determining whether it grants its approval for the additional measures to control aquatic invasive species in a specifi ed region is if it would adversely impact areas adjacent to the region or impact the safety or commercial nature of international shipping activities. It is not certain how regional measures in excess of IMO requirements would be viewed under this guideline. This is potentially very important for those vessels intending to transit to regions with local requirements, for example US waters. Guidelines G8 to G10 address the approval of ballast water treatment systems. These are discussed in Section 2 of this Advisory Notice.


## Overview of Some Regional, National & Local Regulations

United States/USCG
The United States fi rst passed ballast water legislation in 1990 as the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (NANPCA). This law established the Coast Guard’s (USCG) regulatory jurisdiction over ballast water management, mandated a regional ballast water management program for the Great Lakes and called for studies to document the need for a national ballast water management program.

To implement the NANPCA the USCG published a fi nal rule in the Federal Register on 8 April 1993 wherein 33 CFR Part 151, Subpart C, the mandatory ballast water management requirements for ships entering the waters of the Great Lakes after operating outside of the US Exclusive Economic Zone were established. These regulations were extended to portions of the Hudson River in 1994. In 1996 the US Congress enacted the National Invasive Species Act (NISA). This charged the USCG with establishing a voluntary ballast

ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 78 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY water management program for all other US ports and required vessels to submit ballast water management reports.

In addition, this Act directed the USCG to submit a report to the US Congress on the effectiveness of the voluntary program and to make the program mandatory if the rate of compliance with the voluntary guidelines was determined to be inadequate. In May 1999 the USCG published an interim rule in the Federal Register entitled “Implementation of the National Invasive Species Act of 1996”. This interim rule created the mandatory ballast water reporting and recordkeeping requirements and prompted voluntary BWM practices (including ballast water exchange) for all vessels entering all waters of the United States after operating outside the exclusive economic zone.

In November 2001 the interim rule was amended and published as a fi nal rule. On 3 June 2002, the USCG submitted the fi rst ballast water management report to Congress wherein it was concluded that compliance with the mandatory reporting requirements was insuffi cient to allow for an accurate assessment of the voluntary ballast water management program. This report to Congress also stated that it is the intention of the Secretary of Homeland Security to have the USCG take additional actions to reduce the infl ow of aquatic nuisance species. In June 2004, the voluntary guidelines of 33 CFR 151, Subpart D were made mandatory for all vessels equipped with ballast water tanks. In the last several years there have been a number of bills introduced in the US Congress that propose a ballast discharge standard. None have yet become law. However, the USCG has recently released a notice of proposed rulemaking (FR 44633 28 August 2009). The report of proposed rulemaking and regulatory analysis includes an assessment of the economic impact of treatment standards between the IMO D-2 levels and levels up to 1,000 times more stringent (see Table 3).

The proposed treatment regulation calls for a two phase implementation schedule. The Phase 1 standard is the same as the IMO D-2 and the implementation schedule is similar to the IMO schedule. Existing ships (those built prior to 1 January 2012) with ballast water capacity of between 1,500 and 5,000 m 3 will be required to meet this standard by their 1st dry docking after 1 January 2014. Ships with ballast water capacity of less than 1,500 m 3 or greater than 5,000 m 3 must meet the standard by their fi rst drydocking after 1 January 2016. New vessels (those with build dates on or after 1 January 2012) will be required to meet it at delivery.

The proposed Phase 2 standard is up to 1000 times more stringent than the Phase I (and IMO) standard. The Phase 2 discharge requirements must be met by new ships with a build date on or after 1 January 2016. For ships with a build date before 1 January 2016, the compliance date is the fi rst drydocking after 1 January 2016 or fi ve years after a Phase 1 system was installed, whichever is later. A ‘practicability review’ to be conducted by the USCG 

### Table 3: Discharge Standards in USCG Proposed Regulation (August 2009)

Organism Size US Proposed Law Phase 1 Standard US Proposed Law Phase 2 Standard IMO Regulation D-2

> 50 μm in min dimension < 10 viable organisms/m 3 < 1 viable organisms/100m 3 < 10 viable organisms/m 3

< 50 μ and >10μ in min. dimension < 10 viable organisms/ml < 1 viable organisms/100ml < 10 viable organisms/ml

< 10 μm in min. dimension no limit < 10 3 bacteria/100 ml < 10 4viruses/100 ml no limit

Escherichia coli < 250 cfu/100 ml < 126 cfu/100 ml < 250 cfu/100 ml

Intestinal enterococci < 100 cfu/100 ml < 33 cfu/100 ml < 100 cfu/100 ml

Toxicogenic Vibrio cholerae < 1 cfu/100 ml < 1 cfu/100 ml < 1 cfu/100 ml or < 1 cfu/gram wet weight

zooplankton samplesABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 9 

### Table 4: Discharge Standards in Current California Law

is also proposed for 2013 to evaluate whether the technology to achieve the Phase 2 standard is available in order to confi rm the future phase entry into force dates.

While the standards and schedule generally apply to all commercial ships discharging ballast in US waters, there is a notable exemption for crude oil tankers engaged in coastwise trade.

Ballast discharges in US ports are further regulated by the Vessel General Permit (VGP) for the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Previously exempted from the NPDES program, ballast water discharges in port must now be documented and the vessel must follow federal regulation aimed at controlling discharge of harmful or invasive elements within the ballast water. Treatment is not explicitly required and there is no treatment standard in US Federal regulatory regime in the current VGP. However, the CWA allows each individual State to add specifi c provisions, including performance standards, to the VGP. A treatment system that uses active substances (chemicals or biological agents) would be subject to scrutiny under the Clean Water Act.



### California California’s Marine Invasive Species Act (2003) established the Marine Invasive Species Program and directed a state agency to develop performance standards for ballast water discharge. In 2006 the State passed the Coastal Ecosystems Protection Act (SB497) which incorporated the recommended standards and made them mandatory. The implementation schedule was initially set to match the IMO schedule. In 2008, a review required by the law of available treatment technologies recommended that the implementation date for new ships be delayed one year to 2010.

As shown in Table 4, the California standards are much more stringent than the IMO standards and similar (but not identical) to the Phase 2 standard recently proposed by the USCG (see Table 3). The California law includes very explicit guidelines for sampling points and methods.

Further, note that California law currently sets a fi nal discharge implementation date of 1 January 2020 that specifi es zero detectable living organisms for all size ranges in the ballast discharge stream.



### Others In the US, some Great Lakes states such as Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Ohio, are also considering their own discharge standards in line with the IMO D-2 requirements. In addition to California, New York and Pennsylvania have moved into law discharge standards that exceed IMO D-2.

Several other Administrations have passed laws regulating ballast water that include provisions for best practices and ballast exchange. Some are also considering discharge standards in line with the IMO D-2 requirements as they consider their decision to ratify the 2004 IMO Convention. Organism Size California Law IMO Regulation D-2 US Proposed Law Phase 2 Standard

> 50 μm in min. dimension No detectable living organisms < 10 viable organisms/m 3 < 1 viable organisms/100 m 3

< 50 μ and > 10μ in min. dimension < 0.01 living organisms per ml < 10 viable organisms/ml < 1 viable organisms/100 ml

< 10 μm in min. dimension < 10 3 bacteria/100 ml

< 10 4viruses/100 ml no limit < 10 3 bacteria/100 ml

< 10 4viruses/100 ml

Escherichia coli < 126 cfu 3 /100 ml < 250 cfu/100 ml < 126 cfu/100 ml

Intestinal enterococci < 33 cfu/100 ml < 100 cfu/100 ml < 33 cfu/100 ml

Toxicogenic Vibrio cholerae < 1 cfu/100 ml or < 1cfu/gram wet weight

zoological samples < 1 cfu/100 ml or

< 1 cfu/gram wet weight

zooplankton samples < 1 cfu/100 ml10 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

# Section 2 

# BWT Technologies

This section of the Advisory Notice provides an explanation of treatment technologies currently being developed, the regulatory approval process certifying vendor-supplied equipment as compliant with the regulation, and a list of available systems currently on the market as of the date of publication of this document.


## Overview of Treatment Technologies

IMO defi nes ballast water treatment equipment as: “...the equipment which mechanically, physically, chemically or biologically processes either singularly or in combination to remove, render harmless or avoid the uptake or discharge of harmful organisms or pathogens. Ballast water treatment equipment may operate at the uptake or discharge of ballast water, during the voyage, or at a combination of these events.”


### Types of Treatment Technologies The technologies currently available or being developed can generally be grouped under three broad categories based on their primary mechanism for rendering the organism inactive: mechanical, physical and chemical. These groups and the more promising technologies related to each are shown in Figure 1 and described briefl y in the following text. Mechanical Systems • Filtration – sediment and particles are removed

with disk and screen fi lters during ballast intake. They are often self-cleaning with a back-fl ushing cycle. The waste stream is directed overboard back to the water source. These fi ltration systems create pressure drops and a reduced fl ow rate due to resistance in the filter elements and the selfcleaning procedures. • Cyclonic separation – solid particles are separated from the water due to centrifugal forces. Only those particles with a specifi c gravity greater than that of water can be separated. • Electro-mechanical separation – a fl occulent is injected that attaches to organisms and sediment. Magnetic separation and fi ltration is used to remove the solid particles.

Physical Disinfection • Ultraviolet light – UV radiation is used to attack and break down the cell membrane killing the organism outright or destroying its ability to reproduce. The effectiveness depends on the turbidity of the ballast water (i.e. the concentration of sediments) as this could limit the transmission of the UV radiation. UV lights are required to be maintained and power consumption needs to be considered. • Cavitation/ultrasounds – venturi pipes or slit plates are used to generate cavitation bubbles and this high energy bubble creation and collapse results in hydrodynamic forces and ultrasonic oscillations, or high frequency noise, which disrupts the cell walls of organisms effectively killing them.



### Figure 1: Treatment Technology Types

Mechanical Systems Physical Disinfection Chemical Treatment

Electro-mechanical Separation Deoxygenation Filtration Ultraviolet Light Disinfecting Biocides

Cyclonic Separation Cavitation Electrolytic ChlorinationABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 11 • De-oxygenation –

various methods are used to remove the dissolved oxygen in the ballast water and replace it with inactive gases, such as nitrogen or other inert gas. Removing the oxygen not only kills the aerobic organisms but it can also have benefi ts for corrosion prevention provided that the oxygen content is maintained at the correct levels. De-oxygenation can require a prolonged period in order to render the organisms and pathogens harmless to the receiving waters.

Chemical Treatment • Chemical biocides – pre-prepared or packaged disinfectants designed to be dosed into the ballast fl ow and kill the living organisms by chemical poisoning or oxidation. Typical biocides include chlorine, chloride ions, chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite and ozone. Residual biocides in the ballast water must meet ballast discharge standards which may necessitate neutralization techniques. • Electrolytic chlorination – electrical current is applied directly to the ballast water fl ow in an electrolytic chamber, generating free chlorine, sodium hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals, causing electrochemical oxidation through the creation of ozone and hydrogen peroxide. This method is limited in effectiveness to seawater having a certain level of dissolved salt and, could also create unwanted residuals.

Types of chemical treatments include Active Substances or Preparations. The offi cial definitions given in the BWM Convention are as follows: • Active substance – a substance or organism, including a virus or a fungus that has a general or specifi c action on or against harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens. • Preparation – any commercial formulationcontaining one or more active substances including any additives. This term also includes any active substances generated on board for the purpose of ballast water treatment and any relevant chemicals formed in the ballast watertreatment system that make use of active substances to comply with the BWM Convention. 

### Technical Challenges & System Combinations The treatment technologies differ in method and rate of application, scalability, holding time (required for kill rates and safe discharge), power requirements, effects on other ship systems or structure (corrosion), inherent safety and costs of operation. In many cases their effi cacy varies with conditions of the ballast water, fl ow rates, volume of water treated and holding time. There are also issues of whether treatment is done at intake, while being held on board, at discharge, or a combination of the three times.

For instance, fi ltration, separation and UV radiation are done during ballast loading and discharge and are sized for the maximum fl ow rate in the ballastsystem. Conversely chemical biocides and deoxygenation are usually applied to attain a certain concentration in the water in the ballast tanks. The effi cacies of these systems do not depend so much on the fl ow rate of the pumps as the time the ballast is allowed to remain in the tanks to achieve the desired kill rate. Short voyages can be a problem for these technologies.

Matching the treatment technology to the ship type, or more accurately the ballast system type, and vessel service is the key to designing a successful ballast water treatment system.

To overcome the limitations of a particular technology many proposed treatment systems are based on a combination of two or more technologies. Although there are approved chemical disinfection only treatments, these are also combined with some form of pre-treatment to make them more effective for certain vessel or ballast conditions.

The most prevalent system types are ones that combine mechanical separation/fi ltration with UV radiation or chemical disinfection. The initial mechanical separation/fi ltration is used to remove the larger organisms in order to increase the effectiveness of the secondary treatments.

## Treatment System Approval by IMO & Member States

IMO Approval Regime Regulation D-3 of the BWM Convention requires that the ballast water treatment systems must be approved by the Flag State Administration and for those treatment systems which make use of active substances or preparations, by the IMO as well. It is important to note that the Convention requires that discharges of ballast water from ships must meet the D-2 performance standard on an ongoing basis.

However type approval of a ballast treatment system should not be considered as an indication that a given system will work on all vessels in all situations. Even after installing a type approved system, the owner/operator is still responsible for compliance of the discharge throughout the vessel’s life.

To achieve consistency in the approval process, IMO has prepared several Guidelines. G8 Guidelines for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems Resolution MEPC.174(58) G9 Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances Resolution MEPC.169(57) G10 Guidelines for Approval and Oversight of Prototype Ballast Water Treatment Technology Programs Draft Resolution MEPC.140(54)

These guidelines outline the approval framework and a uniform manner of testing, analysis of samples and evaluation of results. G8 and G9 together address the approval required under Regulation D-3 of the Convention. G8 addresses the suitability and efficacy of the system. In addition, where it can be reasonably concluded that the treatment process could result in changes to the chemical composition of the treated water such that adverse impacts to the receiving waters might occur upon discharge, additional testingwill be required by the G8 Guidelines. G9 addresses the acceptability of any active substances and preparations for use in ballast water treatment systems concerning ship safety, human health andthe aquatic environment. G9 is provided as a safeguard for the sustainable use of active substances and preparations.

To encourage the development of new ballast water treatment technologies, the Convention includes an allowance for short term approval of a treatment system that undergoes prototype testing according to G10. For any ship that participates in

12 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORYABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 13 a prototype testing program, the requirements of Regulation D-2 shall not apply until fi ve years after the date the equipment was installed or fi ve years after the date on which the ship would otherwise be required to comply with D-2, whichever is later.

The G8/G9 approval process is a robust and lengthy process requiring approximately one year to complete. It includes the following: • Documentation review and approval of the design and construction of the system and determine if there are any fundamental problems that might constrain the ability of the system to manage ballast water or operate safely. • Successful compliance with environ-mental testing by an approved laboratory of all system components. This testing is to include specifi ed limits of vibration, temperature, humidity, fl uctuations in power supply, inclination and, if applicable, protection from green water impact. • Land-based testing to confi rm that the system can meet the D-2 standard for a range of water conditions (fresh, brackish and sea). The land-based approval testing is intended to provide replicability and comparability to other treatment systems. Any limitations imposed by the treatment system on the testing procedure should be noted and evaluated by the Administration in its consideration for type approval. In some situations, the land-based testing can be done on scaled-down equipment. • Shipboard testing of a complete, full scale system throughout a full ballast cycle (uptake, storage, treatment, and discharge). At least three consecutive successful test cycles that comply with regulation D-2 are required over a period not less than six months.

Once the technical review and testing are completed to the satisfaction of the Administration and the Administration is satisfi ed that the quality assurance program employed by the manufacturer will mean that the equipment can be produced consistently to the required specifi cation, a Type Approval Certifi cate may be issued. When a typeapproved ballast water treatment system is installed on board a vessel, an installation survey is conducted to confi rm that the system has been installed as designed, is ready for operation, and conforms to the Type Approval Certifi cate. Upon successful completion of the installation survey, a BWM Certifi cate may be issued as required by the Convention. Systems with active substances or preparations must undergo the additional approval process contained in the IMO G9 Guideline to verify that the potential hazardous properties of the active substance or preparations or relevant chemicals formed in treated ballast water do not create any unreasonable risk to the ship and personnel and that the ballast water is no longer toxic. The toxicity testing is needed to confi rm that the active substance or preparation used does not cause conditions which have the potential of harming the receiving environment or human health.

The additional approval required under the G9 uses a two-tier methodology consisting of a Basic and Final Approval. • Basic approval confi rms that, based on the information available, there are no unacceptable adverse effects, nor a potential for unreasonable risk to the environment, human health, property or resources. It includes screening for persistency, bioaccumulation and toxicity. Testing is conducted in a laboratory under conditions simulating ballast water discharge following treatment. • Final approval confi rms the previous evaluations of risks to the ship, crew and the environment including the storage, handling and application of active substances or preparations, remain valid and the concerns expressed during the basic approval processIMO. This technical group is the Group of Experts on the Scientifi c Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection – Ballast Water Working Group (GESAMP-BWWG). The GESAMP-BWWG makes a recommendation to the IMO MEPC which, on the basis of the GESAMP-BWWG’s report, will confer approval on a treatment system that uses active substances.

The overall approval process is summarized in Table 5. Shaded parts (G9) can be omitted for systems not using active substances (e.g., de-oxygenation or ultrasonic). A more complete fl ow chart of the approval process is shown in Figure 2.


### Verifying Equipment Approval Any system which is being considered for installation on board a ship should have a valid Type Approval Certifi cate in the proper form and signed by the Administration. This certifi cate should: • Identify the type and model of the system, related equipment assembly drawings and model specifi cation numbers;
• Include a reference to the full performance test protocol on which the approval is based and be accompanied by a copy of the original test results; • State the specifi c application for which the treatment system is approved, e.g. for specifi c ballast water capacities, fl ow rates, salinity or temperature regimes, or other limiting conditions or circumstances as appropriate. have been addressed, as well as the residual toxicity of the discharge conforms to the evaluation undertaken for basic approval. In addition a risk evaluation is performed at the fi nal approval to qualitatively account for the cumulative effects that may occur due to the nature of shipping and port operations.

Both steps involve not only review by the Administration, but also a direct and complete review by a special technical group set up within 

### Table 5: Ballast Water Treatment System Approval Process Overview

Approval Process for Manufacturer Ship Specifi c Approval

Key Steps in Approval Process Documentation Review & Approval Basic Approval for Active Substances (G9) System Approval Land

& Shipboard

Testing Final Approval for Active Substances (G9) Type Approval Certifi cate Installation Survey

Approval Authority Administration GESAMPBWWG, IMO Administration GESAMPBWWG, IMO Administration Administration

14 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORYABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 15 

### Figure 2: Flow Chart of Ballast Water Management System Approval

BWM System (treatment, control & monitoring)

Yes

Yes

No

Yes Yes

Yes

Yes No

No No G(9)

G(9) G(8) Type Approval Prototype Testing G(10) Yes

Yes No

No YesResults maybe used No

No

No

Yes

Yes No

No Manufacturer tests found satisfactory by a government BWNS includes active substances Basic approval or active substances granted by IMO

Land-based testing

to D-2 standard

is satisfactory

Shipboard testing

to D-2 standard

is satisfactory

BWMS includes active substances

BWMS adversely changes

chemical composition of treated water Shipboard testing to evaluate against D-2 standard

All BW discharged during test period meets D-2 standard

Ship issued BWM Certifi cate after functional test of BWMS Documentation review & approval by a government

BMW system test protocol options

Final approval for active substances granted by IMO

Government grants type approval

of BWMS

Type Approved BWMS can be installed on board any ship16 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

### Table 6: BWM System Approvals as of MEPC 60 Approval Status of BWM Systems using Active Substances (G9) 

### Treatment System Approval Status The following tables summarize the current basic, fi nal and type approval status of record. Systems that have received fi nal and/or type approval are described more fully in the Appendix of this publication.

System Name Proposed By Approval Type Approved By

PureBallast System Norway Basic & Final MEPC 56

SEDNA-Ocean BWM System using PERACLEAN Ocean System Germany Basic MEPC 54
Final MEPC 57

OceanSaver BWM System Norway Basic MEPC 57
Final MEPC 58

Electro-Cleen System (Electrolytic Disinfection) Korea Basic MEPC 54
Final MEPC 58

RWO BWMS (CleanBallast) using EctoSys Electro-chemical System Germany Basic MEPC 55
Final MEPC 59

NK-03 Blue Ballast System (Ozone) Korea Basic MEPC 56
Final MEPC 59

Hitachi BW Purifi cation System (ClearBallast) Japan Basic MEPC 57
Final MEPC 59

Hamworthy Sedinox BWMS Netherlands Basic MEPC 58
Final MEPC 59

Resource Ballast Technologies System (Unitor) South Africa Basic MEPC 57
Final MEPC 60

GloEn-Patrol System Korea Basic MEPC 57
Final MEPC 60,

JFE BallastAce (in cooperation with TG) Japan Basic MEPC 58
Final MEPC 60

HHI BWMS (EcoBallast) Republic of Korea Basic MEPC 59
Final MEPC 60 FineBallast Ozone System Japan Basic MEPC 55
Ecochlor BW Treatment System Germany Basic MEPC 58

Blue Ocean Shield BWMS China Basic MEPC 59
AquaTriComb BW Treatment System Germany Basic MEPC 59

SiCURE BWMS Germany Basic MEPC 60

Sunrui BWMS China Basic MEPC 60

DESMI Ocean Guard BWMS Denmark Basic MEPC 60
Blue Ocean Guardian (BOG) BWMS Republic of Korea Basic MEPC 60
HHI BWMS (HiBallast) Republic of Korea Basic MEPC 60
KS BWMS (En-Ballast) Republic of Korea Basic MEPC 60
OceanGuard BWMS Norway Basic MEPC 60
Severn Trent DeNora BalPure Germany Basic MEPC 60ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 17 

### Table 7: Ballast Water Management Systems with Type Approval Certifi cation (G8)

Approval Date Name of Administration Name of the Ballast Water Management System Active Substance Employed

1 June 2008 Norwegian Administration PureBallast System Free radicals Cl2-, ClB-, Br2- and CO3- (Refer to MEPC 56/2/2, Annex 5)

2 June 2008 Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Germany SEDNA ® BWMS (Using Peraclean ®

Ocean System) (temporarily withdrawn from the market) PERACLEAN ®Ocean (Refer to MEPC 57/2/10, Annex 7)

3 September 2008 Offi ce of the Maritime Administration, Marshall Islands NEI Treatment System VOS-2500-101 None Used

4 December 2008 Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Republic of Korea Electro-Cleen TM System HOCl (OCl-), HOBr (OBr-). O3 (H2O2), OH- (Refer to MEPC 58/2/7, Annex 7)

5 April 2009 Norwegian Administration OceanSaver ®Ballast Water Management System (OS BWMS) HClO, Cl 2 , O 3 , H 2 O 2 , ClO 2 and ClO- (Refer to MEPC 58/2/8, Annex 4)

6 April 2009 The United Kingdom Hyde GUARDIAN TM Ballast Water Management System None Used

7 November 2009 Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Republic of Korea NK-O3 BlueBallast System (Ozone) O 3 (Refer to MEPC 59/2/16, Annex 6)

8 November 2009 Norwegian Administration OptiMarin Ballast System None Used

9 December 2009 Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Republic of Korea GloEn-Patrol TM MPUV irradiation (Refer to MEPC 60/2/11, Annex 4)

10 March 2010 Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of

Japanese Government Hitachi ClearBallast PAC, Fe 3 O 4and PASA (Refer to MEPC 59/2/19, Annex 4)

# Section 3 

# Considerations

This section has been prepared to summarize for vessel owners, operators and builders the practical realities of shipboard ballast water systems so that they can be in a better position to evaluate treatment technology options and plan for their installation. Included are discussions of the key features of ships’ ballast water handling systems and practices, and the features of the various treatment technologies that will have an important impact on the ship or ballast practices and costs.


## Considerations for Selection of Treatment Systems

OverviewBallast water treatment is still an evolving technology with an ever-growing number of manufacturersdeveloping systems to meet the anticipated regulatory requirements. Readers are urged to contact ABS or review the latest IMO information to determine the current status of treatment system approvals. This current situation means that there is limited in-service experience for the systems being offered and there is a general understanding that no single system is suitable for all ship types orservice. The owner/operator must make a considered choice for the ballast water treatment that best suits the demands of the ship and service taking into account vendor specifi cations and the extentof shore side and shipboard testing carried out during the type approval process. A careful engineering analysis of the following factors bring order to the decision-making process. These issues are discussed in some detail as follows.

Ship and Vessel Service Characteristics that Impact BWT Selection • Ship type and capacity • Ballast water handling practices including NOBOBS (no ballast on board ships)
• Ballast water characteristics
• Vessel service characteristics • Ballast system characteristics

Treatment Technology Factors
• Treatment method • Treatment system pressure drops • Equipment size and space requirements • Materials, equipment protection (IP rating) and hazardous spaces • Power requirements • Impacts on ballast tank and pipe corrosion • Health and safety (handling, operation and maintenance)

General Treatment System Considerations
• Proven effi cacy and offi cial approvals • Vendor qualifi cations and reputation • Maintenance requirements and system reliability • Simple operation (control and monitoring) • Life cycle costs

Challenges for Installation Engineering • Intake/discharge isolation (cross-contamination) • Sampling and in-service testing • Maintaining ballasting fl exibility


### Ship Type & Capacity In most instances, the ship type will be the largest single determinant in selecting a suitable treatment system. For this purpose it is convenient to consider two groups of ship types: high ballast dependent ships such as tankers and bulkers; and low ballast dependent ships such as containerships, general cargo ships,

18 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORYABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 19 and cruise ships. These groupings are based on differences in total ballast capacity, amount of discharge at any one port and ballast fl ow
rates.

As the data in Table 8 indicates, there is a wide range of ballast capacities and pumping rates common to the commercial ship sector. Notably, the high ballast-dependent vessels regularly sail in ballast only conditions (without cargo). Their pump rates are designed to allow full load or discharge in a fi xed period of time to facilitate rapid port turnaround times (typically 12, 18 or 24 hours for ballast operations). The low ballast dependent vessels generally have smaller ballast capacities and also may rarely undertake a ballast only voyage. Their pumps do not typically have to handle a full load of ballast on a regular basis. Movement of ballast is more limited and often is a shift (one tank to another to adjust trim or heel) rather than a simple full ballast load/discharge operation.


### Ballast Water Handling Practices The proper sizing of a treatment system depends on the amount of ballast that has to be treated at any given port, more so than the total ballast capacity or maximum fl ow rate. If, through active ballast management, discharge can be reduced or eliminated then treatment demands decrease. For example, most containerships rarely need to discharge a full ballast load at any one time.

It also should be noted that a large amount of the treatment system prototype testing is done on moderately sized systems (< 250 m 3/hour) or is scaled up from other industries and not all systems scale up well to the sizes required for the high ballast capacity pumping rates or volumes of several thousand m 3/hour.

Another ballast practice issue that impacts treatment selection is how accumulated mud and silt in the ballast tanks is addressed. This residue itself can contain invasive species even when the tank is empty of water (a NOBOB – no ballast on board condition). Even if ballast is loaded locally it can become contaminated by the residue in the tank. This may necessitate the treatment of ballast water on discharge as well as loading. If there is little mud accumulation and the tanks are cleaned regularly, this may be less of a concern and the treatment system can be selected accordingly. For those ships constructed in or after 2009, compliance with G12 guideline is to be applied. 

### Ballast Water Characteristics Turbidity, salinity and silt content can impact the effi cacy, maintenance or reliability of some technologies. If regular calls in a port are planned where the water has high mud/silt content or has a low salt content (fresh or brackish) this should be considered in the treatment technology selection.



### Vessel Service Characteristics The vessel service or trade route may also be critical for treatment system selection. For example, certain ship types may not be discharging ballast in the US so there will be no concern for US regulations and the key regulatory requirement and effi cacy standards will be those from IMO. If treatment options for local requirements are too expensive, then operators trading to those areas only occasionally may opt to forego shipboard installation of additional treatment capability and instead adjust their ballast management to avoid discharge or pay high use costs for a shore/port based system (where available).


### Common Ballast System Characteristics
There are also a number of other vessel features related to ship type that are not exclusive to the high/low ballast dependent categorization defi ned above yet have an impact on treatment system selection. These include the number of separate ballast systems (e.g., oil tankers often have two, one in way of the cargo area and one aft of the cargo), whether eductors are used to supplement ballast discharge, small or crowded engine rooms, or explosion proof ballast equipment requirements. How these features represent design challenges for treatment systems are discussed in the following sections. Diagram of Ballast Water Management System20 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

### Table 8: Ballast Water Capacity & Ballast Pump Rates by Vessel Type

Vessel Category Vessel Type Representative Ballast Capacity (m 3 ) Representative Pump Rate (m 3 )

High Ballast Dependent

Vessels Bulk Carriers Handy 18,000 1,300 Panamax 35,000 1,800 Capesize 65,000 3,000 Tankers Handy 6,500 1,100 Handymax-Aframax 31,000 2,500
Suezmax 54,000 3,125

VLCC 90,000 5,000
ULCC 95,000 5,800

Low Ballast Dependent

Vessels Containerships Feeder 3,000 250 Feedermax 3,500 400

Handy 8,000 400 Subpanamax 14,000 500

Panamax 17,000 500 Postpanamax 20,000 750 Other Vessels Chemical Carriers 11,000 600 Passenger Ships 3,000 250 General Cargo 4,500 400 Ro/Ro 8,000 400 Combination Vessels 7,000 400 Note: Representative values are nominal values that refl ect a combination of data sources and vessel sizes in each category.


## Treatment Technology Factors

The second most important set of factors in selecting a suitable treatment system, after ship type and service, are the operating characteristics and requirements of the individual treatment technologies. As noted in Section 2 of this Notice, BWT Technologies, there are numerous technologies being actively researched and implemented that should be able to meet at least the IMO discharge standards. These technologies differ in method and rate of application, scalability, required holding time, power and related system requirements, impacts on corrosion and inherent safety. Each ship’s design, as well as an owner’s particular operating practices and internal risk assessments, will determine how important each of these factors is in the selection process. Taken together, these factors and how the treatment systems address them, indicate the level of analysis required for effective implementation of the particular treatment system.

In any case, the following endeavors to describe the more important factors to help provide a framework for system consideration.



### Treatment Method The methods and technologies being considered for ballast water treatment can be grouped by basic approach as follows: • Mechanical systems (fi ltration or separation) • Physical disinfection (UV radiation, cavitation, de-oxygenation, etc.)
• Chemical treatment (biocides and electrochlorination)less than 1 bar to about 2 bar. In some cases, back pressure valves may need to be added to the system after a separator to provide suffi cientbackpressure for clearing out sludge and/or selfcleaning. If the installation requires signifi cant lengths of new ballast piping and valving then some additional pressure drops will be introduced that could prove signifi cant.
The self cleaning or back-fl ushing operation will redirect some of the ballast fl ow directly overboard and reduce the fl ow rate into the tank further. Some cyclones redirect as much as 5 percent to 10 percent of the fl ow stream for sludge removal.

The pressure drops and self cleaning process will impact in-service fl ow rates and system design pressure. For most ships it is not expected that ballast pumps will need to be upgraded. However, the actual fl ow rates of ballast delivered to the tanks achievable with the selected system must be used when evaluating ballasting times and operation of the treatment system. It could be that ballasting with some treatment systems with high pressure drops and self-cleaning systems could take 20 percent longer than ballasting without

treatment.

It should also be noted that at some level of additional system resistance, gravity ballasting may no longer be feasible because the pressure differentials with the sea water are reduced and acceptable fl ow rates cannot be maintained. Some separation equipment simply cannot run without suffi cient system pressure drop. This will ultimately increase the total power required for the ballasting operation because the main pumps will have to be operated for a longer period. Each system has a few fundamental characteristics that impact its suitability for certain ship types, service or fl ow rates. Most of the treatment systems use a combination of two or more of these technologies to overcome an individual technology’s shortcomings.

Mechanical Systems These require redirecting the full ballast fl ow through fi lters, hydrocyclones or other separators. For high volume applications, the size of the equipment required can be problematic. If they are used during ballast discharge, the fi ltrate must be maintained on board. High sediment loads can cause problems for fi lters.

Physical Disinfection Ultraviolet radiation and cavitation require processing of the entire ballast fl ow but holding time is not required as treatment is complete once the water passes through the equipment. UV exposure is usually done at both intake and discharge. Its effectiveness degrades with cloudy or turbid water that restricts light penetration. De-oxygenation can be done at intake to the full ballast fl ow or directly in the ballast tanks with bubblers. However, the full kill rates may take several days to achieve so the ballast tanks must also have a closed vent system and be fully inerted.

Chemical Treatment These treatments are dosed into the existing ballast piping during intake or directly into the ballast tanks. The dosage rates must be adjusted to provide the desired kill rate. The chemicals are usually lethal within several hours of treatment so long holding times are not required. However, the chemicals must be neutralized or be allowed to become biologically ineffective before the ballast water can be considered safe for discharge.


### Treatment System Pressure Drops
The treatment systems that process the full ballast fl ow through fi lters, separation systems or venturi’s, create added resistance to ballast fl ow. The pressure drops for such elements vary, with most systems claiming from

ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 2122 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

### Equipment Size & Space Requirements

Treatment systems come in all shapes and sizes. The footprint requirements can vary from 1 to 25 m2 for a system that can handle 200 m 3/hour. For a 2,000 m 3/hour system the space requirements can be 1 to 100 m2. Systems that use fi ltration or require generating equipment for disinfection, inert gas generators for example, tend to increase in size with ballast fl ow rates more than other systems that treat with chemical dosing.

Another very important space consideration is the ballast piping itself. If the treatment system requires new branch lines to be installed, this can sometimes have an even greater impact on the space requirements than the treatment equipment itself. In most engine rooms, the ballast piping is the largest pipe used. On small containerships with medium capacity pumps it can be over 250 mm. In the high ballast capacity ships it can easily be over 500 mm diameter. It can be a challenge to fi nd room for tie-in points to the manifold area around the ballast pumps as well as space in the ER to run signifi cant lengths of pipe to remote locations if suffi cient room for a piece of treatment equipment is unavailable. Systems that do not require redirecting main ballast fl ow certainly have an advantage in this case.

In addition to the total or overall size of the treatment equipment, the system’s modularity may also impact the ease with which it can be installed in an existing engine room. Taking delivery of a system preassembled on a skid and expecting it to be installed in a single lift is unrealistic unless it is going in at new construction. To reduce installation costs and time, system components will usually be lifted and fi tted separately. So the ability of a system to be easily broken down into modules of convenient size and located in various areas in the engine room gives the installer many more options for completing the work.

Not to be overlooked in the search for space for system installation is the need to provide for 

### Table 9: Important Treatment Method Characteristics

Treatment

Process Method of Treatment When Applied Time for Lethality Effort on Corrosion

Chlorine Generation Use electrolytic cell to generate chlorine and bromine that act as biocides. Next, sodium sulfate neutralizes the ballast water prior to discharge. As long as free chlorine exists in the tank, biocide will be active so dosage can be adjusted to keep biocide always active. At uptake and neutralize at

discharge Hours High dosage levels promote steel

corrosion

Chemical Application Mix proprietary chemicals with the ballast water in metered dosage rates at intake to kill living organisms. Chemicals degrade over time so ballast will be safe to discharge. At uptake via eductor 24 hours High dosage levels promote steel

corrosion

Filtration & Radiation Filtration of the incoming water, usually with self-cleaning 50 micron fi lters, in parallel with discharge of fi ltrate to the waters where intake takes place. Ballast water is exposed to a form of radiation, such as UV energy or other hydroxyl radical generator, to kill smaller organisms and bacteria. At uptake for fi lter and UV and at discharge for UV At treatment No effect

De-oxygenation Mix inert gas generated on board with the ballast water, either by a venturi eductor or by bubbling from pipes in the tanks. This removes oxygen from the water and lowers pH, therefore killing the living organisms. This process requires the atmosphere in the ballast tank be maintained in an inert condition. At uptake for some systems and in tanks for others 4 to 6 days Relatively less corrosive

Ozone Generation Ozone is generated on board and acts as a biocide. It is applied during the ballast pumping process by eductor either at uptake or discharge. It can be combined with fi ltration or other methods of treatment. At uptake for some systems and

at discharge for others Up to 15 hours Limited effect as ozone has short

life. If treated at discharge, no effect.ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 23 adequate access to the equipment for maintenance. This can include ladders and platforms, additional lighting, lifting eyes or crane rails, space for storage and handling of consumables and cleaning of internal components (as required). Space requirements for storage and handling of chemicals used in treatment systems should also be considered. This space can be outside the engine room and may require fi re fi ghting system, ventilation system, etc. Requirements related to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) are described later in this Advisory Notice.


### Materials, Equipment Protection (IP Rating) & Hazardous Spaces
A ballast water treatment system must meet all the normal requirements for shipboard materials, equipment protection and hazardous space safety. The materials used in the system components and the level of equipment protection (IP rating) provided should be reviewed at the type approval stage and certifi ed as to be in compliance with the Class requirements for similar equipment installed in similar locations on board. One important aspect of this approval is review of the materials for fi re rating if the review authority deems the treatment system an ‘essential’ system. In that case, some plastic pipe materials may not be allowed. Additionally, valve materials and remote operation/ shut downs may be required. These issues are not normally a concern for shipowners, unless they wish to specify higher grade materials for longer design service life and lower maintenance costs.

Critical to selecting a system however, is an understanding of the restrictions that may be placed on equipment location due to the specifi c regulations regarding the class of equipment that can be placed in a hazardous space. Equipment placed in the engine room does not have special explosion (EX) requirements whereas equipment in the pump room of an oil tanker must be intrinsically safe (EX ia or EX ib), except that explosion proof lighting enclosures and lights are allowed in pump rooms. Further, ballast from tanks adjacent to cargo oil tanks cannot be run through pipe in the engine room. Large treatment systems or ones that use UV lamp banks (which cannot be made intrinsically safe) may fi nd these requirements especially diffi cult to overcome.

Recent rule developments have opened up the previously strict interpretations of the electrical equipment requirements by allowing, “...electrical equipment, cables and wiring which do not conform to the standards may be installed in hazardous locations based on a risk assessment to the satisfaction of the Administration, to ensure that an equivalent level of safety is assured.” (Refer to the amendment to SOLAS Reg. II-1/45.11 which entered in force on 1 July 2006 for shipsconstructed after 2007.) The installation of nonintrinsically safe equipment in the pump room could be considered on a case by case basis taking into consideration the equipment within the pump room, the arrangement of the equipment, the number of air changes, etc., subject to the standards, interpretation and risk assessment approach of the approving authority.


### Power Requirements
Electrical power consumption by ballast water treatment systems is potentially a signifi cant hurdle for some technologies on the high ballast dependent ships. Large power consumers such as UV light banks, electrolytic chlorination systems and de-oxygenation systems can require 150 to over 200 kW for a 2,000/m 3 treatment fl ow rate. If these systems must operate when other large shipboard consumers are also operating, total ship service electrical generating capacity may be insuffi cient.

The large electrical loads are also the main operating cost for these systems. In contrast, treatment systems that rely on chemical biocides and preparations that can be dosed into the ballast fl ow have an almost insignifi cant electrical load impact but require storage space, handling and dispensing equipment.24 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

### Impacts on Ballast Tank & Pipe Corrosion For all ships, but especially the high ballast dependent ships, the battle against steel wastage due to salt water-induced corrosion can be the single largest maintenance cost as the vessel ages. Treatment systems that change the chemical composition of the ballast water and/or the atmosphere in the ballast tanks can impact the corrosion rates in the tanks and piping. If not designed and handled properly, treatment systems may also damage ballast tank coatings resulting in increased coating maintenance and ultimately increased corrosion as well.

Systems that remove oxygen and maintain an inert, oxygen-deprived condition in the tanks can offer signifi cant reductions in corrosion rates. Some of the change in oxidation rate is attributable to changes in pH caused by the treatment. Some vendor studies have actually concluded that savings on steel and coating renewals over the life of the vessel are much greater than the life cycle costs of the treatment systems. Alternatively, many of the chemical biocides and preparations, including ozone, have been linked to increased corrosion

rates.
Experimental data is not always conclusive regarding the impact of chemical disinfectants in actual service conditions in ships’ ballast tanks with standard tank coatings and anodes, normal cycling of ballast levels and chemical concentrations required for treatment. Even de-oxygenation systems can cause accelerated corrosion if they completely remove the oxygenand create a condition that promotes anaerobictype, microbiologically-infl uenced corrosion. This could be in the form of acid-producing bacteria (APB) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The condition may be accentuated if there is an alternating oxygenated/de-oxygenated condition. In order for de-oxygenation to be benefi cial for corrosion protection, it has to reduce the oxygen levels suffi ciently to slow oxidation and kill any biofi lms that might form, but not so low as to provide an atmosphere conducive to the growth of APBs and SRBs.

With the currently available data, it is diffi cult to predict, with a high degree of confi dence, exactly how different treatment systems will change corrosion rates. At this point, it is necessary to move forward with an understanding of this uncertainty and plan maintenance and inspection intervals to suit expected risks appropriately. Coating manufacturers should also be consulted regarding the reaction of their coatings to the planned additives. Only when suffi cient operational experience is gained with given treatment systems will clearer guidelines be possible.


### Health & Safety (Handling, Operation & Maintenance)
The use of chemical biocides and other active substances on board ships raises a concern over the health and safety of those responsible for operating the equipment and handling the materials, as well as the risk of unintentional discharge into the environment. Treatment systems that use active substances or preparations must undergo a strict review and approval process to identify persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity. If the system is given fi nal approval by IMO, this indicates that persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity are below threshold levels and that, if the substances are handled as directed, they are considered safe for shipboard use.

Every system using active substances should be provided with a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) which describes the proper storage and handling procedures as well as the information on the quantity to be added to the ballast water and the maximum allowable concentration of the substances in the treated water. Further, the system should not permit exceedance of the maximum dosage and maximum allowable discharge concentration at any time.

It is important to note that limits for the level of active biocides that may remain in the discharged ballast can also be regulated by local water quality regulations and can vary by port. If discharging in sensitive areas, a treatment system with diffi cult to control biocide inactivation might not be the right choice. At the very least, the manufacturer shouldbe requested to provide written confi rmation that the effl uent meets the requirements within the local jurisdictions that the vessel is likely to operate in. Compliance with these guidelines should indicate that all reasonable precautions have been taken to protect the health and safety of the crew and environment. Nevertheless, it does put an added hazardous material management burden on the crew. The skill and training of the crew and their ability to manage this safety risk should be considered when selecting a treatment system. 

## General Treatment System Considerations

All ballast water treatment technologies share certain common selection criteria that should be considered in addition to the ship and technology specifi c factors.


### Proven Effi cacy & Offi cial Approvals First and foremost, a system must meet the discharge standard applicable to the vessel’s voyage where ballast discharges are planned or likely. General worldwide service is covered by the IMO Convention’s requirements but some local authorities, such as the state of California, have more stringent requirements and earlier implementation dates. A certifi cate of type approval from a fl ag Administration would indicate that, under test conditions, the system meets the discharge standards required. Unless the installation is part of a prototype or type approval test, the equipment supplier should be able to produce the type approval certifi cate. Systems with type approval are also listed on the IMO website. This formal approval of the equipment will be necessary if the vessel is to obtain the IMO Ballast Water Management Certifi cate showing compliance with the BWM Convention following successful system functional tests on board.


### Vendor Qualifi cations & Reputation As with any piece of equipment, the ability of the vendor or manufacturer to deliver the product on time and in the quantities requested is very important. However with this emerging technology, the production capacity is unproven and still very small in most cases. Some manufacturers may suffer from long lead times on orders, especially if demand increases rapidly. Even though production facilities are subject to quality control review by the type approval authority, until a track record is established, manufacturing quality and reliability can be an unknown. Those systems relying on existing technologies or marine components will have an advantage in this regard.


### Maintenance Requirements & System Reliability
There is insuffi cient experience with treatment system options to establish a good baseline for system reliability. Those systems relying on existing technologies or marine components will be able to provide better reliability estimates. Lacking in-service experience, an indication of reliability risk may be available by considering the system complexity. Filters, UV light chambers and simple chemical dosing systems are among the least complex options and regular maintenance is possible with ship’s crew. Electrochlorination and other chemical generating systems as well as systems with more than two stages of treatment can be considered among the most complex.


### Simple Operation: Control & Monitoring All treatment systems should provide a simple to use remote control panel at or near the main ballast control panel. It should include indicator lights for key valves and system operations and an on/off control. Most systems will provide main control panels near the equipment that allow local operation but also monitor system operation. Beyond this, it is up to the owner how far integration of the treatment system is carried in the main control/alarm/monitoring system. If full integration is required, additional tie-ins with system electronics may need to be special ordered from the manufacturer.

ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 2526 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

### Life Cycle Cost
The bottom line concern for owners is the true life cycle cost of the system. Acquisition costs are the most straightforward to determine because they are directly quoted by the vendors and include all their sunk costs for research and development, approvals and certifi cation. Installation costs vary from system to system and are more diffi cult to quantify. Installation costs include changes to existing piping, equipment and structure, as well as the direct equipment installation, connection, startup, testing and survey by the approval authority. Most systems will require some out of service time for the ship in order to complete the installation but none of those currently on the market is likely to require drydocking.

Establishing both installation and operating costs is diffi cult as both will vary signifi cantly depending upon the type and size of ship, the system selected and prevailing market conditions. When evaluating the probable operating costs of a system, the following should be taken into account: • Energy required to operate the system including electric power and fuel for generating treatment materials (ozone, inert gas and other biocides) • Consumables such as chemicals, lamps and fi lter elements • Crew labor to operate and maintain the system, including training • Periodic maintenance, servicing and component replacement


## Challenges for Installation Engineering

Many of the challenges related to engineering theactual installation of a ballast water treatment system are addressed in the section describing the treatment technology factors. These challenges can be especially acute when installing a system on an existing vessel. Finding solutions to treatment system back pressure and potential fl owrate reductions, power consumption demands, control system integration and space requirements, as a well as access for installation, can be diffi cult and costly.

As these are worked out with the vendor, design engineer and class the following additional factors should be taken into consideration as a successful installation can still be problematic if they are not properly addressed.


### Intake/Discharge Isolation: Cross-Contamination When designing the piping system modifi cation required for treatment system installation, careis required to prevent any accidental crosscontamination of intake and discharge water. This is a concern for systems that redirect the main ballast fl ow. Cross-contamination can occur if contaminated water, either from the sea chest or a tank which may require treatment prior to discharge, passes through a pipe that is shared by the treated ballast water being discharged. Valves which do not provide a reliable seal may also allow some contamination of treated ballast.

The ideal isolation of intake and discharge fl ows is not always possible. However, in two pump ballast systems where fl exibility in the ballasting/ deballasting time is acceptable, it is recommended that one pump be dedicated for ballast intake and one for discharge. Transfers between tanks should be done by the ‘discharge’ or ‘clean’ pump unlesstreatment is active in the ballast tanks (as with deoxygenation).


### Sampling & In-Service Testing Port State Control and other authorized regulatory offi cers may, at any time for the purpose of determining whether the ship is in compliance with the discharge requirements, come on board and take samples of the ballast water. Designing proper and convenient sampling and testing facilities should be considered an important part of the installation engineering. As noted in Section 1 of this Notice, IMO Guideline G2, Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling, calls for sampling to be simple, rapid, applicable at the point of ballast Invasive Species The map shows the estimated distribution of invasive marine species. Many marine organisms are carried in ballast water or on the hulls of ships.

Sources: Benjamin S. Halpern, National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis Graham Roberts, Jonathan Corum/The New York Ti mes Highdischarge and safe to the ship and crew. G2 further contains very specifi c requirements for size, location and maintenance guidelines of isokinetic sampling ports.

Unfortunately, sampling and analysis methodologies to test for compliance with the Conventionare still in development. While research is ongoing, there currently exists no specifi c guidance for the best way to take, handle and analyze samples. There are no protocols for the volume of water required, the conditions in which the samples are stored (e.g., light, temperature, storage container),how biota collection from a sample is accomplished, the statistical method used to count biota, nor direction on sample disposal (can it simply be discharged?).

The sample volume and method for biota collection are key to the design of the sampling facilities. They should include fl exible hoses, holding tanks and work area. Unfortunately, with the sampling port required to be near the discharge that is often located in the engine room where space is limited, handling of signifi cant quantities of water may be diffi cult to arrange or simply impractical.


### Maintaining Ballasting Flexibility Ideally, full ballast system operational fl exibility can be maintained with the selected treatment system. However, providing for the treatment of all isolated ballast systems on board, maintaining maximum fl ow rates at all times and providing for stripping systems (eductors) to continue to be used, may not be necessary for particular ships or even cost effective. For example, a vessel that does not move signifi cant ballast during normal operations may not need the treatment system to handle full pumping fl ow rates. Eductor-based stripping systems may not need special attention if the full treatment course is completed in the tank before discharge, or if the eductor power water can be taken from a treated source. Dedicating ballast pumps for intake and discharge may reduce fl exibility but may simplify piping connections and lower the risk of cross-contamination.


### Obtaining As-built Vessel Information For most existing vessels, detailed as-built drawings of the ship’s ballast piping system and engine room arrangement may not be readily available. Nevertheless, detailed dimensional information is required for all vessel systems and outfi ts that may be impacted by the new equipment in order to properly evaluate locations for equipment installation and piping runs and avoid interferences. Further, installation sequence planning requires a detailed understanding of routes for equipment access and the minimum clearances available. Availability of suitable equipment lifting points also needs to be documented. Gathering of this information is important to a smooth installation (as well as possible treatment selection decisions) and should not be overlooked. Advanced techniques using 3-D laser scanning technology may be useful in this regard.


### Making a Treatment System Selection With such a wide array of ballast water treatment technologies available and the numerous, often competing constraints on any one system, the evaluation and selection of the best equipment is not straightforward. There are many factors to consider. The issues highlighted in this Advisory provide an overview of the principal considerations that an owner/operator should bear in mind when specifying a ballast water treatment solution.

As a fi rst step in the evaluation process, the information contained in Table 10 should be considered. This was compiled to summarize, in a general sense, the suitability of the primary treatment technologies with a range of vessel types and sizes.

ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 2728 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY As can be seen, in only a few cases are treatment technologies deemed unsuitable for particular vessel types. The selection process then must take up the details. As an aid for use in this process, a checklist of key questions and considerations has been included in the System Evaluation Checklist Section at the end of this Advisory Notice. This can be useful in establishing criteria. The value and rating of each factor is left up to the individual responsible for making the purchasing decision.



### Table 10: Suitability of a Ballast Treatment System Type to a Vessel Type

Vessel Category Vessel Size Range Chlorine Generate Chemical Apply Filter & Radiate Deoxygenate Ozone Generate

Bulk Carriers

Handy-Handymax < 60,000 DWT Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Panamax-Kamsarmax < 60,000-90,000 DWT Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Capesize >1200,000 DWT Except Large Yes Except Large Yes Yes

Tankers

Handy < 35,000 DWT Some Systems Yes Some Systems Yes Some Systems

Handymax-Aframax 35,000-120,000 DWT Some Systems Yes Some Systems Yes Some Systems

Suezmax 160,000-180,000 DWT Some Systems Yes Some Systems Some Systems Some Systems

VLCC 200,000-320,000 DWT No, Too Large Yes No, Too Large Some Systems Some Systems

ULCC > 320,000 DWT No, Too Large Yes No, Too Large Some Systems Some Systems
Containerships

Feeder < 500-3,000 TEU Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Panamax 3,000-4,500 TEU Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Postpanamax 4,500-9,000 TEU Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Ultralarge > 9,000 TEU Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Other Vessels

Passenger Ship All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Gas Carrier All Sizes Except Large Yes Except Large Some Systems Some Systems

Chemical Carrier All Sizes Some Systems Yes Some Systems Some Systems Some Systems

RORO All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Combination Vessel All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

General Cargo All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Fishing Vessels All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

OSVs All Sizes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Note: For tankers, chemical carriers and gas carriers, some systems are not suitable, either because they are not designed to b e installed in a hazardous atmosphere such as a tanker pump room or because they are not produced at the high capacity required for large tankers.ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 29 

## Vessel Ballast System Particulars Owner Supplied Data


### 1. Ballast system arrangement a. Total ballast capacity
b. Number of ballast tanks
c. Minimum/maximum ballast tank size d. Are ballast tanks contiguous with cargo oil or other hazardous cargo tanks? e. Is there a dedicated set of heel control tanks (FW or SW)? f. Number of separate ballast systems (not served by same pump) g. Proper and convenient sampling and testing facilities


### 2. Ballast system equipment a. Number of ballast pumps and rating (fl ow rate and pressure for each) b. Overall ballast rate (m 3/hour) c. Ballast pump location (ER, pump room, main deck, etc.)
d. Main ballast line confi guration (ring main or single line) e. Type of stripping system, if any f. Are all ballast system valves remotely operated? g. Are ballast pumps/piping shared with other systems (bilge, fi re, cooling water)? h. Number and location of sea chests (height above bottom) i. Diameter of main ballast line to/from pumps j. Number and size of spare circuit breakers on main switchboard k. Estimated spare electrical capacity during ballasting operations 

# Evaluation Checklists30 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## Ship & Service Characteristics that Impact BWT Selection Owner Supplied Data


### 1. Ship type and capacity a. Ship type: high ballast dependent or low ballast dependent


### 2. Ballast water handling practices a. On average, how much ballast is loaded or discharged at any given port? b. What are the time constraints on ballast intake (how fast must it happen)? c. Maximum required fl ow rate for intake of ballast d. What are the time constraints on ballast discharge (how fast must it happen)? e. Maximum required fl ow rate for discharge of ballast f. Sediment build up in tanks (little, moderate, signifi cant) g. Is treatment required for possible NOBOB condition? h. Minimum time ballast is held in a tank between port calls



### 3. Ballast water characteristics a. Are there freshwater ports encountered where ballast is taken in? b. Minimum salinity of brackish water encountered c. Turbidity or silt content of port water (low, moderate, heavy)



### 4. Vessel service characteristics a. Any unique service constraints or trading patterns regarding ballast use? b. Is there trade to special BWT zones: California, Great Lakes, Australia, etc.? c. Does active ballast management allow zero ballast discharge in some/all ports?


### 5. Ballast system characteristics a. What are the gravity intake/discharge practices? b. Can internal ballast transfer for trim, heel, bending moment control be easily accomplished? evaluation checklistABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 31 

## Treatment Technology Factors Vendor Supplied Data



### 1. Treatment method a. Description of technology offered (all stages) b. For UV system: lamp type, required minimum intensity and water clarity c. For chemical: Required minimum dosage rate and minimum holding time Neutralizing agents (how created, stored, dosed?) How long before safe to discharge? Chemicals generated on board or supplied as preparations? d. For de-oxygenation: How much inert gas required? Minimum holding time


### 2. Treatment system capacity a. Overall treatment capacity (m 3 ) b. Overall treatment rate (m 3/hour)


### 3. Treatment system pressure drops a. Expected pressure drops added by treatment system to main ballast fl ow b. Quantity of ballast redirected for cleaning or sludge discharge c. Is gravity intake/discharge possible with this system?


### 4. Equipment size and space requirements a. Total space required for treatment equipment b. Size of largest single component c. Weight of largest single component d. Space required for maintenance (element removal, etc.)


### 5. Materials, equipment protection (IP rating) and hazardous spaces a. IP rating of components b. EX rating of components c. Any special risk assessments performed to date for hazardous space installations?


### 6. Power requirements a. Average and maximum power requirements and operating voltage b. Duration of maximum power consumption as function of ballast process


### 7. Impacts on ballast tank and pipe corrosion a. Is there published R&D available regarding the impact on tank and pipe corrosion rates?


### 8. Health and safety (handling, operation, maintenance) a. Quantity of treatment chemicals needed (per ton of ballast water treated) b. For active substances: a copy of the MEPC fi nal approval with recommendations c. For active substances: Material Safety Data Sheets evaluation checklist32 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## General Treatment System Considerations Vendor Supplied Data


### 1. Proven effi cacy and offi cial approvals a. Copy of Type Approval Certifi cate issued by, on behalf of, a Government b. System limitations or operating guidelines from Type Approval process


### 2. Vendor qualifi cations and reputation a. Annual production capacity of manufacturer b. Which components are custom made or incorporate new/novel technology? c. How many units have been built at the factory to be used for this installation? d. Client referrals for previously installed systems


### 3. Maintenance requirements and system reliability a. How many units of similar capacity have been installed? b. What is average duration of operating experience per unit? c. What is standard maintenance protocol? d. What is expected service life?


### 4. Simple operation: control and monitoring a. Type of remote control system included b. Ease of connection to primary control and monitoring system


### 5. Life cycle costs a. Estimated power consumption for normal ballast operations b. Fuel consumption expected for inert gas generation c. Cost of consumables (chemicals, lamps, fi lter elements) d. Expected frequency of resupply of consumables for planned system size e. What major components are most likely to need replacement within 10, 15, 20, 25 years? What is their cost? evaluation checklistABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 33 

## Challenges for Installation Engineering Owner Supplied Data


### 1. Intake/discharge isolation: cross-contamination a. Can piping installation options provide good contamination protection? b. Can intake and discharge pumps be isolated and dedicated to that service?


### 2. Sampling and in-service testing a. Is there adequate space and facilities for sampling and testing?


### 3. Maintaining ballasting fl exibility a. Can the treatment system options selected provide full ballast fl exibility?



### 4. Other a. Is there space for all system components and ballast connections? b. What are the access openings and routes for bringing in new treatment system components? c. What are the access needs during system operation and maintenance?
d. Are switchboard modifi cations required? e. Are control system modifi cations required?



### References and Suggested Further Reading Standards for Living Organisms in Ships’ Ballast Water Discharged in US Waters, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Preliminary Regulatory Analysis and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, USCG-2001-10486, June 2008 evaluation checklist34 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## Technical Information for Ballast Water Treatment Systems

The following pages summarize the key technical and performance data for treatment systems, which are currently being offered on the market that are in various stages of approval as of the publication of this Advisory Notice.

It should be noted that some ballast water treatment systems which use chemical biocides and de-oxygent may require additional treatment prior to the water being discharged into receiving waters.


### Systems with Type Approval Certifi cation 1. PureBallast System
2. Electro-Cleen TMSystem (ECS)

3. OceanSaver ® Ballast Water Management System 4. Venturi Oxygen Stripping (VOS) System 5. Hyde Guardian TMBallast Water Management System
6. NK-O3 Blue Ballast/Nutech O3 7. OptiMarin Ballast System (OBS) 8. Hitachi ClearBallast System
9. GloEn-Patrol TMSystem



### Systems with Final Approval for Active Substances 1. Resource Ballast Technology/Unitor BWTS 2. JFE BallastAce System 3. HHI EcoBallast System 4. RWO CleanBallast System 5. Sedinox System 

# AppendixABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 35 

## PureBallast System

Methods: Filtration + ultraviolet/TiO2 (AOT)

Operational Notes: PureBallast is based on advanced oxidation technology, or AOT. Titanium dioxide catalysts generate free radicals when hit by light.The radicals, whose lifetime is only a few milliseconds, break down the cell membrane of micro-organisms without the use of chemicals or the creation of harmful residues (the system was, nevertheless, approved under the G9 regime for Active Substances). PureBallast’s patented version of the AOT technology, known as Wallenius AOT, has been industrialized in a joint venture between Alfa Laval and Wallenius Water.

During ballasting, water is processed through the fi lter to remove any particles or organisms larger than 50 microns in size. It then passes through the AOT treatment to the ship’s ballast system. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. During deballasting, the fi lter is bypassed and the ballast water receives a second dose of AOT before being discharged overboard.

Manufacturer: Alfa Laval, Norway

Link/Reference: www.pureballast.alfalaval.com

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, July 2007 Type Approval, June 2008, Norway APPENDIX36 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## Electro-Cleen TM 

## System (ECS)

Methods: Electrolysis/electrochlorination

Operational Notes: Disinfection is carried out directly by the electrical potential and by the generation of free chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, hydroxyl radicals and electrochemical oxidation through the creation of ozone and hydrogen peroxide.

Manufacturer: Techcross Company Ltd., Republic of Korea

Link/Reference: www.techcross.net

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, October 2008 Type Approval, December 2008, Republic of Korea APPENDIXABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 37 

## OceanSaver ®

## Ballast Water Management System

Methods: Filtration + hydrodynamic cavitation + de-oxygenation (nitrogen) + electrodialytic process

Operational Notes: After fi ltration intense pressure pulses are used to create hydrodynamic cavitation of suffi cient intensity to rupture cell membranes and destroy particles and organisms. The ballast water is then super saturated by the injection of nitrogen causing the oxygen dissolved in the water to be released, leaving the water in the tanks defi cient of oxygen. The released oxygen and nitrogen is evacuated fromthe tanks via a controlled ventilation arrangement usually through a pressurevacuum device so as to avoid the further natural release of nitrogen over time and to prevent potential contamination by outside air. The fi nal stage of treatment incorporates an isolated electrodialytic process which is based on the principles of an electrochemical activation technology. This is applied to a small portion of fl ow (greater than 5 percent by volume) producing a disinfectant which is returned to the main fl ow after the cavitation and the nitrogen saturation. This greatly enhances the disinfectant properties. The activated substances naturally degrade over a very short period of time.

Manufacturer: OceanSaver AS, Norway

Link/Reference: www.oceansaver.com
Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, October 2008 Type Approval, April 2009, Norway APPENDIX38 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## Venturi Oxygen Stripping TM 

## System

Methods: De-oxygenation + cavitation + lowering pH

Operational Notes: Inert gas is introduced into the ballast during intake through a venturi system. The cavitation caused in the venturi system damages the organism and is the fi rst stage physical treatment. The inert gas removes oxygen from the water and lowers the pH level. The ballast tanks are kept inerted to maintain the hypoxic condition. This condition kills living organisms during the holding period in the tank (one to 48 hours). There are no active substances used.

Manufacturer: NEI Treatment Systems LLC, United States of America

Link/Reference: www.nei-marine.com

Approval Status: Type Approval, September 2008, Marshall Islands APPENDIXABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 39 

## Hyde GUARDIAN TM 

## Ballast Water Treatment System

Methods: Filtration + ultraviolet light

Operational Notes: During ballasting, water is processed through the fi lter to remove any particles or organisms larger than 50 microns in size. It then passes through the UV treatment and to the ship’s ballast system. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. During deballasting, the fi lter is bypassed and the ballast water receives a second dose of ultraviolet light before being discharged overboard. There are no active substances used.

Manufacturer: Hyde Marine, Inc., United States of America

Link/Reference: www.hydemarine.com

Approval Status: Type Approval, April 2009, United Kingdom APPENDIX40 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## NK-O3 Blue Ballast System/Nutech O3

Methods: Ozone + thiosulphate neutralizer

Operational Notes: The conversion of oxygen into ozone is carried out by an electric discharge fi eld. Ozone is then injected into the ballast stream at the outlet of the ballast pumps and kills a percentage of invasive marine species by direct contact. The remainder of the invasive marine species are killed when the ozone reacts with bromine that naturally occurs in sea water to create other biocides. The ozone and bromine related biocides naturally decay. Only trace amounts of the bromine compounds remain in the treated water. If the levels are too high, a neutralizer injects thiosulphate to reduce them to acceptable levels. The ozone system produces a low concentration of active substances.

Manufacturer: NK Company, Ltd., Republic of Korea Nutech O3, Inc., Republic of Korea

Link/Reference: www.nkcf.com www.nutech-03.com

Approval Status: Type Approval, October 2009, Republic of Korea Final Approval for Active Substances, November 2009 APPENDIXABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 41 

## OptiMarin Ballast System (OBS)

Methods: Filtration + ultravoilet light

Operational Notes: During ballasting, water is processed through the fi lter to remove any particles or organisms larger than 40 microns in size. It then passes through the UV treatment and to the ship’s ballast system. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. During deballasting, the fi lter is bypassed and the ballast water receives a second dose of ultravoilet light before being discharged overboard. There are no active substances used.

Manufacturer: OptimMarin AS

Link/Reference: www.optimarin.com

Approval Status: Type Approval, November 2009, Norway APPENDIX42 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY 

## Hitachi ClearBallast Ballast Water Purifi cation System

Methods: Flocculent injection + magnetic separation + fi ltration

Operational Notes: Coagulation technology forms magnetic fl ocs by adding and agitating a coagulant and magnetic powder to the sea water to capture plankton, viruses, mud and sand. A high speed magnetic separator collects the magnetic fl ocs and the residual fl ocs are removed with a fi lter separator. Onboard storage of premixed fl occulants/ chemicals required. Accumulation, storage and disposal of sludge is required.

Manufacturer: Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Japan

Link/Reference: www.hitachi-pt.com

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, July 2009 Type Approval, March 2010, Japan APPENDIXABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 43 APPENDIX 

## GloEn-Patrol TM 

## System

Methods: Filtration + ultraviolet radiation

Operational Notes: During ballasting, water is processed through the fi lter to remove any particles or organisms larger than 50 microns in size. The ballast then passes through the UV treatment unit utilizing high intensity, medium pressure UV lamps for sterilization and on to the ship’s ballast system. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. During deballasting, the fi lter is bypassed and the ballast water receives a second dose of UV before being discharged overboard.

Manufacturer: PANASIA Co., Ltd., Republic of Korea

Link/Reference: www.worldpanasia.com

Approval Status: Type Approval, December 2009, Republic of Korea Final Approval for Active Substances, March 201044 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY APPENDIX 

## Resource Ballast Technology/Unitor BWTS

Methods: Mechanical cavitation + ozone + sodium hypochlorite injection + fi ltration

Operational Notes: The ballast water is treated on intake only. Cavitation and the application of the disinfectants electro-chlorination with sodium hypochlorite and ozone oxidation all take place. A screen-type self-cleaning fi lter is installed after the pump for the physical separation. The cavitation creates very strong sheer forces that effectively rupture the aquatic organisms. Electrodes mounted inside the reactor vessels produce sodium hypochlorite at a concentration of less than1.5 ppm. A small ozone generator incorporated in the control system provides ozone at less than 1.5 ppm. The ozone provides disinfection both in brackish and fresh water. Both these disinfectants degrade rapidly without any effect on discharged ballast. The disinfectants employed are produced within the system and thus no additional facilities for the storage, make-up or dosing of chemicals are required.

Manufacturer: Resource Ballast Technologies (Pty.) Ltd., South Africa

Link/Reference: www.resource-technology.com

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, March 2010ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 45 APPENDIX 

## JFE BallastAce System (using TG Ballastcleaner & TG Environmentalguard)

Methods: Filtration + chlorination + cavitation + residual control

Operational Notes: During ballasting, mechanical separation removes organisms larger than 35 microns. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. Chemical dosing with sodium chlorine and sodium sulfi te preceeds a mechanical treatment with cavitation in multiple venturi tubes. A residual oxidizing agent is quenched by a reducing agent at discharge.

Manufacturer: JFE Engineering Corporation, Japan (in cooperation with the Toagosei Group, Japan)

Link/Reference: www.jfe-eng.co.jp

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, March 2010 Type Approval, May 2010, Japan46 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY APPENDIX 

## HHI EcoBallast System

Methods: Filtration + ultraviolet light

Operational Notes: During ballasting, water is processed through the fi lter to remove any particles or organisms larger than 50 microns in size. The ballast then passes through the UV treatment unit utilizing high intensity, medium pressure UV lamps for sterilization and on to the ship’s ballast system. The UV lamps are arranged in a unique helix arrangement to maximize probability of exposure. Back-fl ushing water is returned over board at the ballasting site. During deballasting, the fi lter is bypassed and the ballast water receives a second dose of ultraviolet light before being discharged overboard.

Manufacturer: Hyundai Heavy Industries, Republic of Korea

Link/Reference: www.hhi.co.kr

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, March 2010ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY • 47 APPENDIX 

## RWO CleanBallast System

Methods: Filtration + electro-chemical oxidation

Operational Notes: A disk-type fi lter system is used for mechanical separation to 40 to 45 microns when taking in ballast water followed by the EctoSys ® disinfection unit. This unit is an electro-chemical system utilizing electrodes with high oxygen over potential that produces powerful disinfectants such as hydroxyl radicals and also provides direct oxidation of microorganisms on the electrode surface. No chemicals or precursor substances are added to the ballast water. Neither the hydroxyl radicals nor any of the theoretically produced by-products are bio-accumulative or persistent. Ballast water can also be run through the disinfection unit at discharge.

Manufacturer: RWO GmbH, Marine Water Technology, Germany

Link/Reference: www.rwo.de

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, July 200948 • ABS BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ADVISORY APPENDIX 

## Sedinox System

Methods: Filtration + electrolysis (chloride ion disinfectant)

Operational Notes: This is a two-stage treatment. The fi rst, the Sedimentor, is a hydrocyclone that removes sediment and biota during uptake. The second stage, the Termanox, is an electrolytic process based on the electrolysis of sodium chloride present in seawater. The Sedinox unit is the control system.

Manufacturer: Hamworthy, PLC, the Netherlands (formerly Greenship BV, the Netherlands)

Link/Reference: www.hamworthy.com

Approval Status: Final Approval for Active Substances, July 2009ABS WORLD HEADQUARTERS ABS Plaza 16855 Northchase Drive • Houston, TX 77060 USA

Tel: 1-281-877-5800 • Fax: 1-281-877-5803 Email: abs-worldhq@eagle.org

ABS EUROPE DIVISION
ABS House No. 1 Frying Pan Alley • London E1 7HR, UK Tel: 44-20-7247-3255 • Fax: 44-20-7377-2453 Email: abs-eur@eagle.org

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Singapore 119958 • Republic of Singapore Tel: 65-6276-8700 • Fax: 65-6276-8711 Email: abs-pac@eagle.org

ABS AMERICAS DIVISION ABS Plaza 16855 Northchase Drive • Houston, TX 77060 USA

Tel: 1-281-877-6000 • Fax: 1-281-877-6001 Email: abs-amer@eagle.org

Website www.eagle.org

TX 06/10 6000 10043