BALLAST SYSTEM

AND
FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM

Prepared by: Jasper P. Abrantes

Ballast System
A ballast water system allows a ship to pump
water in and out of very large tanks to compensate
for a change in cargo load,
shallow draft conditions, or weather.
Physical components of the system include; raw
water intakes, large and small strainers, pumps,
distribution pipes, ballast water tanks, treatment
system, discharge system, and all the valves,
sensors, and controls to run the equipment.
 Ballast System Purpose
It is used to adjust the overall weight of
the vessel and its internal distribution in
order to keep the ship floating safely,
upright and in a stable condition.
It is used to compensate for different
cargo loads that a ship may carry at
different times, including during loading
and unloading.
It also provides stability and
manoeuverability during transit.
Ballast water treatment
 Mechanical Filters
◦ Filters which are fine enough to remove the small immature young and eggs of
invasive species clog quickly
 Thermal Treatment
◦ The idea is to heat ballast water to kill any unwanted organisms. Unfortunately
heating such a huge volume of water is impractical due to time and energy
constraints.
 Chemical Treatments
◦ Chlorine bleach and other toxic chemicals will kill existing organisms but the
release of these chemicals on the scale necessary to treat every ship would reach
toxic levels for all aquatic life near the discharge points.
Ballast system layout
Fire fighting System
Fire protection on ships is provided by detection
and fire-fighting equipment together with
structural features which are intended to contain
an outbreak of fire and the employment when
required of non-combustible materials to
prevent its spread.
Main system
Fire detection
A smoke detector
◦ based on the interruption of light reception by a photo-
electric cell, will only identify the shadow effect of dark
smoke when it passes through its chamber. 
Flame detectors
◦ Photo conductors sensitive to infra-red or photo-
emmissive cells which are sensitive to ultra-violet light,
can both be used for flame detection.
Heat sensors
Fire fighting equipments
Fire pumps
◦ Two independently powered pumps must be provided in all cargo ships of
1000 tons gross and over
Emergency fire pump
◦ located away from the engine room in the shaft tunnel, steering gear or in
the forward part of the ship
Hoses and nozzles
Portable fire extiguishers
Halon systems
◦ it is a colourless, odourless gas with a density five times that of air and
extinguishes fire by breaking the combustion chain reaction.
 References:
• https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ballast-water-2293103#:~:text=A%20ba
llast%20water%20system%20allows,gallons%20on%20a%20large%20vesse
l
.
• https://www.rivieramm.com/opinion/ballast-water-innovation---new-designs
-and-regulations-drive-bwms-change-24671
• https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/news-content-hub/teamtec-of
fers-filterless-ballast-water-treatment-system-22870
• http://generalcargoship.com/fire-protection.html