Ballasting / Deballasting

Capt.ABA
Importance of Ballast & its Operations
Draft suitable for ship handling – effect of wind
Not too stiff / tender – stability
Minimum draft requirement as per stability
booklet
Propeller immersed
BM and SF within allowable limits
Remains upright
Required trim maintained
Max air draft not exceeded
Max coaming air draft not exceeded
Capt.ABA
 Incorrect Ballast Management
Vsl capsized – insufficient ballast , wrong timing
Vsl broken in two – incorrect combination of
cargo/ballast
Grounding at berth
Lighters sunk alongside
Cargo damaged by flooding
Cargo contaminated – wrong valves
opened/shut
Tanks ruptured due to pressure/vacuum
Pumps burnt due to inattention
Undercarriage of cargo due to inability to
deballast fully Capt.ABA
 Piping system
Ballast system typically consists of
pipelines from the ballast tanks to the
ballast pumps (Some times Fire & GS
pump in the engine room can be put
into use) which are connected to the
sea chest & overboard discharge. It is
possible to by-pass the ballast pump
and carry out ballasting/deballasting by
‘gravity’ using the level difference of a
tank & sea
Capt.ABA
 Pumps

Ballast pumps are mostly of the

centrifugal type. They are located in the
engine room or in pump-rooms of
tankers. Some ships may have deep
well pumps located in the ballast tanks
themselves.

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 Valves

 Valves are required to isolate

tanks, pumps, sea chest &
overboard discharge.

 They are mainly of Ball, Globe,

Gate or Butterfly type.

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Ball Valves

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Globe valve

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Gate valve

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Butterfly valve

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Non Return valve

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Capt.ABA
 Control System

To control the valves and pumps, a

control system may be provided instead
of local manual operations.
It can be located in engine room, cargo
control room or even on the bridge.
Electric, hydraulic and/or pneumatic
signals from the controls are transmitted
to operate the required pump or the
valve

Capt.ABA
 Deballasting problems
Loading of cargo to cope with deballasting
Adjusting rate of loading / deballasting / trim
pumping DB tanks
leaking ballast lines – holes in piping, valve failure
pump tripping
gauge settings
gassing , vacuum pumps
Cracking another valve
Blocked lines
Ballast pollution

Capt.ABA
Attention Note on Ballasting / Deballasting
Minimising the amount of ballast
Ballast Plan
Ships Ballast System – learn the layout ,
piping sounding , air pipes , Tanks and
pipelines , Pumps
Pumping ballast
Speed of ballast
Ballasting responsibility
Centralised controls
Local control
Basic ballast procedures
Monitoring the ballast
Capt.ABA
 Attention Note on Ballasting / Deballasting
Hand soundings – daily record ,
Checking air pipes
Checking adjacent holds
Rechecking soundings
Using Gravity
Over-pressurising tanks
Avoiding List
Double hull vessel – FSE
Blocked sounding pipes
Dumping valves
Check overside – cargo , electric connections, barges
Filling topside tanks - leaks
Ballasting Holds
Ballast Book & Daily sounding log
Final remaining ballast Capt.ABA
Ballast water management plan

• BW exchange
• Treatment
• Flow through

Capt.ABA
Thanks for your attention!

Any Questions ???

Capt.ABA