BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM – NECESSITY AND INNOVATION

Shashank Singh, AMET University

ABSTRACT
About 90 percent of the world economic trade takes place in an estimated 60,000 shipping vessels. All
these vessels require ballast water to maintain stability of the vessel. At the port of embarkation as the
vessel takes up the ballast water it also takes up some micro-organisms along with it. These micro-
organisms pose a threat to the native marine life where the water is discharged. These invasive marine
alien species are a threat to the marine industry(fisheries and tourism) the ecosystem, the human health
and in contradiction to oil spills grow worse with time. This threat was recognized by environmentalists
in the recent years and following it IMO adopted the International Convention For The Control and
Management of Ship’s Ballast and Sediments(BWM Convention), one of the requirements of this
legislation was the installation of a system which would avoid such introduction of foreign species into
any marine environment. Thus the ship owners started using easier and cheaper methods like Ballast
water exchange to satisfy the ports where restrictions were imposed on disposal of ballast water, but it
was found that the method was ineffective in completely irradiating the problem. However, the US
realized this issue and made it mandatory for ships calling into this port to have a ballast water
treatment system. Further, it is important that the member states of the IMO also recognize the scale of
this problem and allow the acceptance of the BWM convention so that all merchant vessels mandatorily
have a BWM system.

INTRODUCTION
Merchant shipping has been around for 120
years now and all these years water has been
used as an efficient means of stabilizing the
vessel. The use of water reduces the stress on
the hull of the vessel and has the advantages of
readily availability and easily being pumped into
the vessels tanks etc. [14]. Thus this method of
stabilization has proved its worth over time and
is the method use across ships of different sizes
and uses.
Although ballast water may be important for
ships efficient operation and maneuverability it
proves a serious threat to the ecology or
economy of a particular area. This is because
ballast water carries various micro-organisms in
like bacteria, planktons, larvae or cysts of
various marine species. If these invasive species
are not able to survive in the environment in
which they are discharged then there is no
threat to the ecosystem of that place. However
if these invasive species are dominating to the
native species then they may threaten their
existence and ultimately may cause the
extinction of the native species. This is the
situation in which a threat is to be recognized as
this will lead to the death of larger marine life
like fish and small marine animals who used to
depend on these microorganisms for survival.
The death of these small fish will cause a loss in
the economy of the people who depend upon
the fisheries of that area, and environmental
degradation due to the sudden change in the
food chain of the marine animals [9],[10].
This threat was first recognized by scientists
when Prof Ostenfled, a German scientist,
discovered a large population of Asian
phytoplankton algae odontella in the North Sea
in 1903. However the first conclusive study to
find the effects of ballast water was conducted
70 years later by Medcof followed by many
others, in which 1500 ballast water samples
were taken of which 80% were from ballast
water and 20% were from ballast tank
sediments. The study found that most of the
samples had a large concentration of marine life
which included a large number of algae , fungi,
protozoans, invertebrates at different life stages
and also fishes up to a length of 15 cm [7],[8].
But it was not until the late 1980’s that
countries like Canada and Australia started to
identify this problem and bought their concerns
to the MEPC (Marine Environmental Protection
Committee) of IMO. Some of the examples of
the environmental impact of the introduction of
aquatic life to foreign environment and their
affects have been concluded as below [14].

NAME OF THE NATIVE TO INTRODUCED IMPACT ON THE ENVIORNMENT

SPECIES TO

North American Eastern Black, Azov Reproduces rapidly (self-fertilizing hermaphrodite) under
comb seaboard of and Caspian favorable conditions. Feeds excessively on zooplankton.
jelly(Mnemiopsis the Americas Sea Depletes zooplankton stocks; altering food web and
leidyi) ecosystem function. Contributed significantly to collapse
of Black and Asov Sea fisheries in 1990s, with massive
economic and social impact. Now threatens similar
impact in Caspian Sea
Asian kelp Northern Asia Southern Grows and spreads rapidly, both vegetative and through
(undaria Australia, dispersal of spores. Displaces native algae and marine
pinnatifida) west coast of life. Alters habitat, ecosystem and food web. May affect
USA and commercial shellfish stocks through space competition
Argentina and alteration of habitat.
Round Black, Asov Baltic sea and Highly adaptable and invasive. Increases in numbers and
goby(Neogobious and Caspian north America spreads quickly. Competes for food and habitat with
melanostomus) sea native fishes including commercially important species,
and preys on their eggs and young. Spawns multiple
times per season and survives in poor water quality.
Cladoceran Black and Baltic sea Reproduces to form very large populations that
water flea Caspian sea dominate the zooplankton community and clog fishing
(Cercopagias nets and trawls, with associated economic impacts.
pengoi)
Mitten Crab Northern Asia Western Undergoes mass migrations for reproductive purposes.
(Eiochier Europe Baltic Burrows into river banks and dykes causing erosion and
sinensis) sea and west siltation. Preys on native fish and invertebrate species,
coast of north causing local extinctions during population outbreaks.
America Interferes with fishing activities.
Source : http://www.goballast.imo.org/poster4_english.pdf
The main reason for the introduction of foreign
species has been argued upon as to being the
expansion in trade and traffic volumes of the
ships over the last few decades and is ever
increasing as the trade around the world
reaches every nook and cranny of the world and
the volume of goods traded are also ever
increasing due to a population boom in many of
the developing countries. Further the economic
impact to some of the countries has been
drastically affected due to reduction in fisheries
production and tourism in those countries. But
this is not a problem recognized in the recent
times historical data and evidences suggest that
a wooden ship in the 1750 could have been
responsible for transporting 120 marine
organisms nesting or fouling in the hull and a 30
others due to dry ballast and anchor chain [11].

Probable mechanisms of invasion for known introduced species in

THE NECESSITY Australia and San Francisco Bay based on life history
characteristics. (Adapted from [6] and Chad Hewitt, Ministry of
Fisheries, NZ Pers. Comm)
Although the United Nations(UN) had already
invoked the international Law of the seas, This and many more such findings have led to
which made the coastal country exclusively the IMO to intervene and in 2004 it passed the
responsible for maintaining its environmental International Convention for Ballast Water
integrity and prevent any degradation in marine Management. The convention becomes legally
ecosystem by human intervention or by binding 12 months after it has been ratified by
pollution caused by ships, the international 30 member states that represent 35 percentage
community was now waking up to a previously of world tonnage. However, the Ballast Water
unseen threat to the marine environment from Management Convention, adopted in 2004,
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS). The threat of AIS aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic
was found to be caused mainly because of two Under the Convention, all ships in international
reasons i.e. Hull Fouling and Ballast Water traffic are required to manage their ballast
Discharges. A study in the San Francisco bay and water and sediments to a certain standard,
Australia found the reasons for AIS as shown. according to a ship-specific ballast water
management plan. All ships will also have to
Percentage of species
carry a ballast water record book and an
100
international ballast water management
75 certificate. The ballast water management
standards will be phased in over a period of
50
time. As an intermediate solution, ships should
25 exchange ballast water mid-ocean. However,
0 eventually most ships will need to install an on-
board ballast water treatment system.
IN
G
AS
T
TE
R
NAL
UL LL A IO
FO Y BA STW ENT A number of guidelines have been developed to
LL R T
HU ID LA IN
M BAL AUS SFB facilitate the implementation of the
SE Convention. The Convention will require all
ships to implement a Ballast Water and
Sediments Management Plan. All ships will have
to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and will be
required to carry out ballast water management
procedures to a given standard. Existing ships
will be required to do the same, but after a
phase-in period.
Parties to the Convention are given the option
to take additional measures which are subject
to criteria set out in the Convention and to IMO
guidelines.
More recently, other issues affecting the future
policing of the convention have been identified,
causing IMO member states to further delay
ratification. When in 2008 it became clear that
the requisite number of signatures was not
going to be achieved, the IMO decided on a
one-year extension for the first tranche of
affected vessels but, despite pressure from the
industry, it has not, so far, agreed any further
concessions. As of 30 September 2014 the
convention has not yet came in to force which
has been accepted by 41 member states, who
constitute 30.25 percentage of world shipping
tonnage. This successfully completes the goal
for the number of states required for
ratification but the goal for the world tonnage is
yet to be achieved i.e. 35 percentages.
However, if members like Singapore ratify the
convention next then the world shipping
tonnage representing the convention would go
over 35 percentage, still it would take a year for
the convention to enter into force. Irrespective
of this the USCG(United States Coast Guard)
have enforced requirement for all ships calling
into their waters to have an effective ballast
water treatment system which has been
enforced from 2014. Since the USCG requires an
additional certification to the IMO certification,
the USCG has introduced the Advanced
Management System (AMS) which has been
secured by almost 25 suppliers.
Ballast water treatment systems are not cheap,
can be demanding of space and, depending
upon ship size and the technology involved, can
add unwanted weight to the vessel. It is
therefore not surprising that in the depth of a
recession few owners have bothered to take
the plunge and install a system to comply with a
Convention that has no legal force. As a result, a
backlog of more than four years of new
buildings that have ignored the requirement to
have a system fitted on delivery has built up.
Even if the final signatures needed on the
convention are added later this year, there is
still a one-year lead-in time, so it will be more
than five years after the IMO’s planned deadline
before that first cohort of vessels is obliged to
comply. If some degree of leeway is not agreed
before the convention is ratified, an intended
nine-year program will be telescoped into four.
But thanks to the local ruling of countries like
the United States of America, the USCG’s
implementation of ballast water treatment
systems on ships calling into their ports many
ship owners are now forced to have a retrofit of
the system on their existing ships. Below is a
description of the various systems accepted by
the USCG under the AMS system to be used on
ships in US waters.
 THE INNOVATIONS
Although the enforcement of ballast water
management system is first done by the United
States, makers of the BWMS are offering
retrofits which comply with the regulations of
both the IMO guidelines on BWM convention
and the AMS of the USCG.
Before looking at the systems it is important to
know the various requirements outlined by the
IMO on BWM systems.
Based on the ballast capacity of the ship the
IMO has divided the implementation of the
convention on D1 and D2 categories. The D1
category specifies the presence of a ballast
water exchange system onboard the ship and
the D2 category specifies the presence of a
water treatment system on board. The IMO has
also set the dates on which these categories
have to be implemented on ships and by which
date the category D1 will no longer be followed.
It also specifies the system to be fitted on the
ship based on the year in which it is fitted.The
implementation schedule for vessels to meet
the ballast water management requirements is
provided in the Regulation B-3 of the
Convention and is summarized in 2-1/Table 1.
BALLAST BUILD First Intermediate or Renewal Survey , whichever occurs first after the anniversary
CAPACIT DATE date of delivery in the respective year
Y (m3) 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
<2009 D1 or D2 D2
<1500 In 2009 D1;D2 by second annual but not beyond 31 Dec 11 or EIF whichever is later.
>2009 D2 (at delivery or EIF whichever is later).
>1500 <2009 D1 or D2 D2
Or In 2009 D1;D2 by second annual but not beyond 31 Dec 11 or EIF whichever is later.
<5000 >2009 D2 (at delivery or EIF whichever is later).
>5000 <2012 D1 or D2 D2
>2012 N/A D2 (at delivery or EIF whichever is later).

Source: BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT METHODS by Stelios Magkanaris

BALLAST WATER EXCHANGE-A
PARTIAL METHOD
The process of ballast water exchange specified
in category D1 refers to a system where a ship
has to exchange the coastal ballast water that it
took from the leaving port by refilling the
ballast water after going into mid ocean.
In general, the ship can replace its coastal
ballast in two ways
 Sequential method
 Overflow/flow through method.
Sequential method
The method is dictated by the fact that the
ballast tank of the ship should be changed
several times in the open sea before the ships
arrives at the port of calling so that the ballast
tank of the ship contain water from that region
only or a nearby ocean thus no alien species can
be introduced in to the ocean when the ship de-
ballasts during cargo loading. This method of
ballasting and de-ballasting has the advantage
that it does not require any change to the ship’s
existing equipment, however it has several
disadvantages also:
 The operation requires a continuous
watch from a crew member as the work
demands attention, further as these
days the number of crew members on
the ship have also reduced.
 It should be ensured that when the
operation is underway the bending
moment, shear forces and the sea
condition will not affect the ships
current loading condition.
 Other than the ships longitudinal
strength it must be ensured that the
ships stability and maneuverability is
also not affected.
 The design of the tanks sometimes
restricts the disposal of sediments
present in the tanks, in these sediments
the micro-organisms can still be alive
and the complete process of changing
the ballast water has no effect.
 Despite many disadvantages of this method
the ballast water exchange by sequential
method is in itself the most widely used
method for the reason that it is cost
effective and requires no additional parts to
the existing equipment.
Overflow method
The overflow method refers to the overfilling of
tanks and allowing the tanks to overflow
through the air vents on the deck. This method
does away with the disadvantage of stability
present in the sequential method as this
method involves the tank to be always
completely filled, thus reducing the free surface
effect. Another advantage of the overflow
method is that it ensures that least amount of
alien species are introduced into the native
waters where the ship is calling in as the water
is continuously exchanged.
But, the method has several disadvantages like
no one wants the equipment on deck to be
always drenched in water, which could lead to
corrosion, leave alone the working condition on
the deck. Further, non-return valves on the
deck are not designed to allow for continuous
overflow of tanks, and it would be a not be a
pleasant view if any one of the on return valves
malfunctions and an excess pressure develops
inside the tanks.
Another disadvantage faced using overflow
method is in container ships where the non-
return valves being on the torsion box could
spill water over refrigerated containers where
the generator fitted to them may get damaged.
Thus , this method is not popularly followed.
Correctly completed ballast water exchange can
replace up to 99 percentage of the total ballast
water and can remove up to 90 percentages of
all the zooplanktons from the coastal waters.
Although the process of ballast water exchange
is a lot prevalent it practically it does help in the
complete removal of the marine species, this is
the reason that the USCG emphasized all
merchant ships calling into its ports to have a
ballast water management system.
BALLAST WATER TREATMENT
SYSTEM
The treatment of ballast water involves various
processes which are generally derived from
other industrial applications like waste water
treatment systems in which separation of solids
and disinfection of liquid takes place.
The separation process consists of removal of
solid impurities present in water. The systems
present these days can filter impurities up to a
size of 10 microns. The water after filtering is
back flushed to remove the waste stream which
is discharged during ballasting operation itself.
The next process involves the disinfection of
water which can be in various ways. Chemical
treatment can be done by adding oxidizing
biocides which disrupt the micro-organisms
cellular structure or adding non-oxidizing
biocides which interfere with the reproduction
of the microorganisms. The physical/chemical
methods of disinfection include treatment with
ultraviolet rays, cavitation, coagulation and
heat. Deoxidization can also be used which
asphyxiates the organisms. Other methods for
disinfection include chlorination, ozonation,
electro chlorination etc.
 ALFA LAVAL- PURE BALLAST 3.0
1 3
2
SOURCE: http://www.alfalaval.com/campaigns/pureballast3
Alfa Laval’s pure ballast system was developed
in co-operation with wallenius water, a Swedish
environmental technology company. The major
components of the system consists of a AOT
(advanced oxidation technology) reactor, a CIP
(cleaning in place ) unit and a filter unit whose
capacity is determined by the flow rate in the
system. The system is available in various
configurations depending upon the ballast
capacity of the ship; i.e. the AOT reactors are
available in capacities of 300 m 3/hr., 600 m3/hr.,
and 1000 m3/hr. whereas the filter unit is
available in variants ranging from 250 m3/hr. to
3000 m3/hr. For systems having capacity greater
than 3000 m3/hr a dual system may be fitted.
The various components of the system are:-
1. FILTER. The filter used in the system has
the ability to block impurities up to
50µm. The filter can also be back
flushed automatically while ballasting
and is bypassed while deballasting. The
flow rate of the filter is matched up to
the system.
4
5
2. LAMP DRIVE CABINET. The lamp drive
cabinet consists of the power circuitry
for the UV lamps and the system is
made such that it can be placed up to
150 meters away from the main unit
where engine room space is restricted.
3. CONTROL CABINET. A control cabinet
provided with a touchscreen interface
for system function and operating data.
The controls can also be incorporated
into the ships control system for remote
operations.
4. AOT REACTOR. The wallenius AOT
reactor consists of UV light tubes which
help in disinfection of water.
5. CIP UNIT. The cleaning in place (CIP)
unit is used to circulate a biodegradable
cleaning fluid after ballasting or
deballasting, so as to keep the lamp
clean and have efficient performance as
it not only cleans calcium chloride
scaling but also removes metal ions
mechanically.
The pure ballast was one of the first
systems to be approved and uses UV lamps
and a filter to complete the treatment
process.
At the heart of the system is an AOT reactor
with a series of 16 UV lamps fitted in the
assembly. The reactor is used to generate
free radicals with the help of a catalyst and
a light source. These hydroxyl radicals
destroy the cell membranes of the micro-
organisms thereby killing them. The radicals
which never leave the unit have a lifetime
of only a few milliseconds and thereby not
posing any threat to the crew or to the
environment.
GAS LIFT DIFFUSION - COLDHARBOUR MARINE
SOURCE: http://www.coldharbourmarine.com
Specially optimized for large tankers,
LNG/LPG carriers the system developed by
COLDHARBOUR MARINE, UK; the gas lift
During ballasting a 50µm filter removes
larger impurities leaving only the smallest
to be treated. The filter consists of closely
spaced filter candles which are mesh type
and made of super duplex stainless steel.
The filter is backflushed automatically as
soon as the pressure drop across the filter is
more than 0.4 bar. The backflushing
operation does not affect the efficiency of
the filter as each candle is backflushed
individually. Thus as one candle is being
backflushed the others continue the
filtering process. During deballasting the
system continues to run in order to ensure
that all the micro-organisms are killed
before the water is sent back to the sea.
The filter is bypassed while deballasting.
diffusion system operates inside the tank ie
after the ballasting has taken place, rather
than in line while the tanks are being
ballasted so there are no filters or back
flushing to be done and no additional
power requirements.
The gas lift diffuser system works on the
inert gas generated by the Coldharbour sea
guardian inert gas generator (IGG) which
has pipelines going inside the ballast tanks
to the gas lift diffuser .The IGG is made such
that it produces inert gas which is ultra
clean and contains very low oxygen content
and as per the companies promises largely
maintenance free.
The gas which is led through the GLD
diffuses into the water reducing its oxygen
content and untreated water enters from
the bottom of the ballast tank into the GLD
ECOCHLOR BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM
SOURCE: http://www.ecochlor.com/system.php
Ecochlor is a US company that uses a
patented ClO2 technology to treat the
ballast water. Its BWMS includes filtration
and then chemical water treatment where a
unit. Further, the elevated CO 2 content of
the gas reduce the pH of water temporarily.
This simultaneously induces hypoxia and
hypercapnia. These conditions are fatal to
both aerobic and anaerobic micro-
organisms. To effectively kill the other
organisms a patented method of gas
bubbling and producing ultrasonic shock
waves is used.
The tank monitoring system continuously
monitors the water in the ballast tank for
oxygen levels and pH of water to accurately
define the points at which it must be put
into operation and vise-a-versa.
small amount of supply water flows through
a venturi ejector. The water used could be
seawater or freshwater. The water passing
through the ejector creates a vacuum and
 draws purate and acid into the mixing
chamber. When the chemicals combine
they form a dilute solution of ClO 2 solution
which is then injected into the ballast
water. ClO2 is formed when the purate and
sulfuric acid are mixed together and the
water passing through the venture is used
only as a carrier of ClO2 to the ballast water.
The makers claim that the combination of
50µm filter and treatment with ClO 2
solution is sufficient to kill all micro-
organisms irrespective of the temperature,
salinity or sludge content of the sea water.
The Ecochlor BWMS with exception of the
filter can be kept anywhere on the ship.
The makers claim that the system gives the
best efficiency when used in vessels with
high ballast water capacity. The Ecochlor
BWMS was one of the first systems to be
approved by the USCG’s STEP program and
as an application of approval under
alternative management system.

The system also has the advantage of

retrofitting as it require no change in the
existing ballast system and the components
don’t take too much engine room space.

COMPARISON OF BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

BWMS Compliant with Engine room Costs involved Power Retrofit Overall
requirements footprint requirements compatible performance
ALFA LAVAL- IMO approval by Comparatively Initial cost is high Comparatively Compatible Best in
PUREBALLAST DNV, USCG large but operating highest with large comparison
3.0 compliant cost is less engine room
space
requirement
GAS LIFT Approved by Least if fitted on Comparatively Comparatively Easier on a Best suited
DIFFUSION Lloyds register, a tanker or least least tanker or for tankers
BWMS UK LNG/LPG carrier, LPG/LNG an LNG/LPG
increases on carrier. carriers
other ships as Complexity
fitting of IGG is increase on
necessary other ships
ECOCHLOR USCG STEP Comparatively Initial cost is low Lesser power Compatible Requirement
BWMS program less but operating requirements of chemicals
approved, cost is high makes it
German BSH costly to
approved operate.
 CONCLUSION

From the earliest days of world trade merchant shipping has been responsible for
transporting pests from one place to another but the problem of transporting marine
invasive species from ballast water had not been recognized until recent times. This delay
has led for the problem to go from bad to worse and is responsible for extinction of a few
marine species. Further with ever increasing world population and more mouths to feed the
any decline in the fishing industry could lead to decline in human health.

Thus it is high time that the international community realizes the grave danger that invasive
marine species present to us and steps have to be taken to curb with It and it is important
that the IMO member states accept and ratify the BWM convention and apply stringent
norms on ship owners worldwide to make it mandatory for them to have a ballast water
management system on board ship

Although retrofitting of a system on board ship may be expensive but the environmental
benefits of the system are far greater comparatively. The ALFA LAVAL PUREBALLAST 3.0 is a
recommended system by the USCG for use onboard as a treatment system and is beneficial
in the way that it can be retrofitted on any type of ship and is a self-contained system
dependent only on the ships power supply.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My sincere thanks to my esteemed faculty members, Prof A.Venugopal,

Principal of DG courses, Prof T.Mohan Dean Marine engineering and Prof
Immanuel Thyagrajan for giving me the support and motivation in writing this
article.
 REFERENCES

[1] Global Ballast Water Management Programme, Ballast Water News, International
Maritime Organization, London, Issue 4 January–March 2001.

[2] ALFA LAVAL PURE BALLAST BROCHURE 2014

[3] ECOCHLOR BWMS BROCHURE 2014

[4] Marine Invasive Alien Species- a threat to global biodiversity Nicholas Baxa ,Angela
Williamson ,Max Aguerob ,Exequiel Gonzalez ,Warren Geeves Published by: Marine policy,
PERGAMON p. 1,2.

[5] Guide To Ballast Water Treatment Systems By HIS Maritime (fairplay.co.uk)

[6] GAS LIFT DIFFUSION BWMS BROCHURE 2014 BY COLDHARBOUR MARINE Ltd.

[7] Biological Invasions - By Wolfgang Nentwig Universität Bern

[8] MARINE INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES – Marine Policy, volume 7, issue 4, july 2003,
pg.313-323, Emerging issues in Oceans, Coasts and Islands

[9] BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT METHODS- Environmentally and user friendly by birth –
by Stelios Magkanaris (2014)

[10] Marine Invasions Research Lab

http://www.serc.si.edu/labs/marine_invasions/vector_ecology/bw_exchange.aspx

[11] Carlton JT. The scale and ecological consequences of biological invasions in the world’s
oceans. In: Sandlund OT, Schei PJ, Viken A( ,editors . Invasive species and biodiversity
management. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 1999. p. 195–212.

[12]Cohen AN, Carlton JT. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case
study of the biological invasions of the San Francisco Bay and delta. US Fisheries and
Wildlife and National Sea Grant College Program. Report NTIS Number PB96166525, 1995.

[13]Hayes KR. Identifying hazards in complex ecological systems— Part 2: Infections modes
and effects analysis for biological invasions. Biological Invasions 2002;4:251–61.

[14] IMO BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CONVENTION

http://www.imo.org/OurWork/Environment/BallastWaterManagement/Pages/Default.aspx
 AUTHORS BIOGRAPHY

This article has been written by SHASHANK SINGH a final year student of AMET
University pursuing a degree in marine engineering.

CONTACT DETAILS:-
Email: shank.singh93@gmail.com