#Ballast Water Treatment Systems Market Guide | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hudsonespie · 5 years ago

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Making Quick Work of Ballast Water Treatment

As the IMO ballast water treatment requirement rolls out, equipment vendors are competing to offer shipowners the most flexible, useful systems possible. This means delivering reliable compliance in a wide range of water conditions, but it also means meeting operators’ needs - like minimum holding time. Alfa Laval's UV-based PureBallast 3 system recently received U.S. Coast Guard type approval for discharging ballast water just 2.5 hours after taking it on board - a small fraction of the time required under the system’s first American certification in 2016. It needs no holding time at all for ballasting cycles completed within the same Captain of the Port zone.

Holding time is one of the regulatory requirements for U.S. Coast Guard type approval (though not abroad, where the IMO's G8 guidelines prevail). A day or two of holding time is acceptable for deep sea ships on long voyages, but it is a serious inconvenience for smaller vessels with frequent port calls, according to Peter Sahlen, the new head of Alfa Laval PureBallast. Small container ships, bulkers, barges and similar vessels may visit two or more ports within the span of a day, and waiting 24-48 hours to discharge ballast may not be an option.

Long holding time requirements can also be confusing for the ship's crew, as each tank may have a different compliance status at any given moment. "You don't want to have to keep track of when you ballasted and deballasted each individual tank in order to make sure that you have the right holding time," Sahlen says.

In response to these concerns, Alfa Laval put considerable effort into gaining certification for the shortest possible holding time, and it won Coast Guard approval for "zero-day" discharges in April. The company says that this gives PureBallast 3 a leg up on other UV-based systems, but it makes it especially competitive when compared with electrochlorination-based treatment, which requires either more time or more neutralizing chemicals to achieve Coast Guard discharge requirements. Thanks to the ultra-short holding time and other features - like its ability to operate in any salinity and to treat water with UV transmittance as low as 42 percent - PureBallast 3 has the fewest operating restrictions of any technology on the market today, according to Alfa Laval.

Achieving compliance

Now that regulators are shifting their emphasis to shipboard implementation, Sahlen says, proper system operation is essential - and it is only going to become more important as inspection regimes ramp up.

“The IMO and the U.S. Coast Guard are beyond the type-approval phase, and they are moving to enforcement," he says. "Last year, Coast Guard inspectors found 200-plus deficiencies, and they are just scratching the surface. For now, their inspectors are only asking whether the ship has a ballast water record book, who is responsible for operating the system, and whether they can demonstrate how to use it. They will soon move to the next stage - taking samples of treated water - and there will be discoveries."

Improper operation and maintenance can lead to non-compliance, and proper training is the best way to avoid it, according to Sahlen. Over the years, Alfa Laval has found that guided, hands-on experience on a dedicated mock-up unit is an excellent way to prepare crewmembers to use the equipment properly. The company has built out training facilities in Stockholm, Mumbai, Manila and Houston to make quality training accessible for seafarers all over the world.

Alfa Laval also has a worldwide service network for maintaining its equipment installations, with 51 trained employees distributed around the globe, from Japan to Texas. "We track which ship gets support at the first port call after they reported an issue and which one gets support in the second harbor. Second harbor support is very close to 100 percent these days," says Sahlen. The work is normally completed pierside, but Alfa Laval can provide riding crews to conduct work under way if required by the ship's schedule.

To ensure predictable cost of ownership, Alfa Laval is happy to sign a performance agreement with shipowners, guaranteeing that consumables, scheduled maintenance and (if needed) any repairs come at a set cost for a five- or ten-year period. "The equipment may run without any problems over that period, but there are maintenance items that have to be done either way, like sensor calibration, sampling and seal replacements. The agreement gives the owner certainty about these operating costs," Sahlen says.

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VIDA may improve value proposition

The United States recently enacted the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, a package of legislation that includes provisions for ballast water system regulation. Among many other items, it requires the U.S. Coast Guard to treat non-viable organisms (rendered incapable of reproduction) as the equivalent of visibly "dead" (nonmoving) organisms for purposes of type approval. The USCG is still working out the details of how this new rule will be applied, but it could bring U.S. standards closer to the IMO requirements used in the rest of the world.

"This sends a signal that the U.S. Coast Guard is taking another stance on evaluating ballast water treatment technology, and it's very positive," Sahlen says. "If you can run the system to meet IMO standards rather than the current U.S. standards, you will have lower operating expenses. We are really looking forward to seeing what the new Coast Guard regulation will look like, whether there will be additional testing that we will have to carry out, and we will do what we have to do to comply to their new requirements."

First G8-compliant system

PureBallast was the second system to receive U.S. Coast Guard type approval, and Alfa Laval made a push to ensure that it would be the first to win approval under the revised IMO G8 standard, which will become mandatory for new installations after October 2020.

"You might think that a year and a half is far out in the distance, but making a deal, manufacturing equipment, shipping it to the shipyard and having it installed takes a lot of time. Several suppliers now have been approved the G8 standard, but in the long run, I think that competition will bring the number of ballast treatment system vendors down to 25 companies at most," says Sahlen.

Long-term support is an important consideration for shipowners: a ballast water treatment system will likely last the life of a vessel, and if the OEM should cease operation, its installed systems will face sustainment and compliance challenges. As the most established BWTS vendor in the market, Alfa Laval is a stable and reliable long-term partner, with more than a decade of experience in ballast water treatment, a fully-built service network and a range of diversified income streams - attributes that position it well for the long haul.

This article is sponsored by Alfa Laval. For more information on PureBallast 3, please visit https://www.alfalaval.com/products/process-solutions/ballast-water-treatment-system/pureballast-3-1/.

from Storage Containers https://maritime-executive.com/article/making-quick-work-of-ballast-water-treatment via http://www.rssmix.com/

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maritimecyprus · 7 years ago

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(http://www.MaritimeCyprus.com) It is generally recognized that all businesses have a major role to play in preventing pollution and reducing releases of harmful emissions into the environment and this is particularly true of the shipping industry. The impact of pollution on fragile ecosystems is particularly severe in the marine environment, and to address this there is a substantial body of UK, European Union (EU) and wider international regulations related to environmental control, including comprehensive survey and certification requirements.

General requirements for pollution prevention in the marine environment

Most international regulations on marine pollution come from the 1973 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), which was updated in 1978. MARPOL was developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is aimed at preventing and minimizing pollution from ships – both accidental and from routine operations.

There have been a number of amendments to the Convention since it was first produced, and MARPOL now has six technical annexes covering marine pollution by:

oil

noxious liquid substances carried in bulk

harmful substances carried in packaged form

sewage from ships

garbage from ships

air pollution from ships

Survey and certification requirements for pollution prevention in the marine environment

The specific requirements for survey and certification of ships will depend upon the specific pollution prevention issue being considered. Some ships may only require a single survey at construction, while for others a renewal may be required every five years with additional mid-term surveys.

For more information on the regime for air emissions (including the requirements for engine NOx survey) see the section of this guide about air pollution and ozone-depleting substances.

Anti-fouling systems (AFS) are also the subject of the periodic survey regime. See the next section in this guide for further information.

For more information, see the guides on Vessel classification and certification and vessel survey and inspection requirements.

Guidance on use of anti-fouling systems

Organotin compounds found in many AFS have been shown to have adverse effects on the ecology and on marine organisms. Their use is now prohibited in AFS for all ships, irrespective of size, and on fixed or floating platforms.

Ships longer than 24 metres but less than 400 gross tonnes must carry a Declaration, with supporting documentation, showing that the AFS used on the ship complies with the regulations. Ships of more than 400 gross tonnes must be surveyed on first use of an AFS, or when it is changed or substantially replaced. The ship’s Certificate must be endorsed accordingly.

Ships with no AFS which trade internationally must carry either a Declaration or Certificate stating specifically that no AFS has been used.

The sale and marketing of anti-fouling paints for marine use containing organotin compounds is prohibited within the UK and other EU states.

You can download Marine Guidance Note (MGN) 398 (M+F) Merchant Shipping (Anti-Fouling Systems) Regulations 2009

Prevention of marine pollution by garbage and sewage

The disposal of garbage and sewage from ships is a major environmental issue, and Annexes IV and V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships were developed to address this.

Within the UK, Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulations 1998 were developed to address this and were updated in 2008 to reflect changes made to the system internationally. You can download MGN 385 (M+F) Guidance on the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2008

Under these Regulations:

every ship of 12 metres or more must display placards informing crew and passengers about disposal requirements for garbage

every ship of 400 gross tonnes or certificated for 15 passengers or more must have a garbage management plan and maintain a garbage record book

The Regulations also specify that vessels covered by the regulations must have at least one of the following:

a sewage treatment plant which complies with the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 1999

a sewage comminuting and disinfecting system, with facilities for temporary storage of sewage

a holding tank for the retention of sewage which has sufficient capacity and has a visual indicator of the amount of its contents

Sewage that has been treated can be discharged anywhere at sea. Sewage that has been comminuted and disinfected can be discharged a minimum of three miles from the nearest land. Untreated sewage must be discharged no less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. In all the above cases the vessel must be proceeding at not less than 4 knots when making the discharge.

Other ships can opt into the provisions of the regulations and for smaller vessels guidance is provided by the Small Commercial Vessel and Pilot Boat Code of Practice. You can download MGN 280 (M) Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure, Workboats and Pilot Boats – Alternative Construction Standards

Port waste management planning

Port waste management is regulated by the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2008, which includes requirements for vessels to:

notify the port before arrival of waste onboard and the amounts to be offloaded

offload all ship-generated wastes to port/terminal reception facilities, unless they have notified that they will be retaining wastes on board

pay for the use of waste discharge facilities

In turn, harbour and terminal operators must provide adequate waste reception facilities, and must have in place a port waste management plan.

Although fishing vessels are exempt from notifying ports of their waste, and of paying a mandatory charge, they must land waste into the facilities provided by the port or directly to a waste contractor through a private contract.

Smaller vessels not governed by this regime are expected to dispose of their waste in an environmentally sound manner.

Vessels must make sure that waste from exhaust gas cleaning systems equipment is handled carefully and not discharged into ports, harbours or estuaries unless it is thoroughly documented that the waste streams will have no adverse impact on its ecosystem.

Air pollution and ozone-depleting substances

Air pollution from ships, and in particular the emission of sulphur and nitrogen compounds (SOx and NOx) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS) is strictly controlled by regulations that implement the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and its various annexes and protocols. MARPOL Annex VI, which is specifically about air pollution, has 19 separate regulations, as well as a Code for controlling nitrogen oxide emissions. Annex VI is implemented in UK law through the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008 (as amended).

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Control of VOCs at tanker terminals is left to individual terminals to reflect the variation in VOC impacts found between terminals. A port wishing to manage VOCs must contact the MCA and indicate:

the size of tankers to be controlled

the cargoes requiring vapour emission control systems

the vapour emission control system to be employed

operational practices

the date the harbour or terminal would like the controls to start

The application must be submitted at least 18 months before the date that the harbour or terminal has applied for the VOC to be regulated.

Ozone-depleting substances

The use of virgin hydro-fluorocarbons (HCFCs) is prohibited for maintenance and servicing from 1 January 2010 and for all HCFCs for maintenance and servicing from 1 January 2015. After 1 January 2015 HCFCs can continue to be used in existing installations provided that no maintenance or servicing takes place.

The use of ODS is not prohibited in systems and equipment installed before 19 May 2005.

Sulphur control

Masters are required to record evidence of the changeover to low sulphur fuel in order to demonstrate compliance having entered a Sulphur Emission Control Area.

Fuel Sampling

Masters of all ships subject to Annex VI must:

keep records of fuel oil delivered to and used on the ship, with detailed information, on a bunker delivery note

take and keep a sample of the fuel oil, signed by the supplier and the officer in charge of bunkering

Delivery notes must be kept on board for at least three years. The sample must be retained under the ship’s control until the fuel oil is used, or 12 months, whichever is longer.

Local suppliers of fuel oil for combustion purposes, delivered to and used on board ships, must register with the MCA.

Guidance on oil pollution and fuel oil sampling

The main international body of regulations to prevent pollution from ships is MARPOL. For more information, see the section of this guide on general requirements for pollution prevention in the marine environment. Annex I of the Convention, which is specifically aimed at preventing oil pollution, was subsequently supplemented by a separate IMO Convention on oil pollution preparedness, response and co-operation.

These Conventions have led to the development by the IMO of a manual on oil pollution, which provides practical information on preventing pollution and dealing with incidents.

The Manual can be bought from the IMO publications department. To order, call the IMO helpline on 020 7735 7611 or email [email protected].

Oil Record Books

Every ship of 400 gross tonnes and above, other than an oil tanker, and every oil tanker of 150 gross tonnes and above, must keep and complete an Oil Record Book. It must be completed whenever any of the following operations take place in the ship:

ballasting or cleaning of oil fuel tanks

discharging ballast or cleaning water from oil fuel tanks

disposing oily residues (sludge)

discharging overboard bilge water which has accumulated in machinery spaces

Oil tankers will need to record extra operations including loading, unloading and transferring oil cargo.

Constructional requirements

There are detailed construction requirements for new ships within the MARPOL annex which are particularly relevant to oil tankers but impact on other vessels as well.

Pollution prevention for fishing and inland waterway vessels

The cumulative effect of relatively small-scale pollution from garbage, bilge washing and catering waste causes a range of problems, as does lost fishing gear. Some of this material does not degrade easily, and can cause injuries to marine life, as well as propeller fouling and intake blockages.

To prevent these problems, operators of fishing vessels should:

have onboard procedures that minimise the accidental loss of fishing gear at sea

bring garbage and debris ashore for disposal

become involved in the port’s waste management plan and in particular raise any inadequacies with the port authorities

Inland waterways

Inland waters in the UK are categorised into one of four groups. In outline, these are:

narrow rivers and canals with a general depth of less than 1.5 metres

wider rivers and canals with a general depth of over 1.5m, and significant wave heights of less than 0.6 metres

tidal rivers and estuaries and large lakes with significant wave heights of less than 1.2 metres

tidal rivers and estuaries with significant wave heights of less than 2.0 metres

Operators of vessels in these waters should comply with local bylaws relating to the discharge of waste water and dispose of rubbish at suitable shore facilities. Sanitation systems capable of discharging sewage must not be fitted unless they can be sealed or rendered inoperable. Sealed sanitation systems must be in accordance with the BS MA101:1986 Specification for toilet retention and re-circulation systems for the treatment of toilet waste.

Oil-tight trays must be fitted under every engine and gearbox to prevent oil leaks. No fixed bilge pump should draw from an oil-tight area.

Source: UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Guidance (MCA) – Prevent pollution and reduce harmful emissions at sea (www.MaritimeCyprus.com) It is generally recognized that all businesses have a major role to play in preventing pollution and reducing releases of harmful emissions into the environment and this is particularly true of the shipping industry.

#MARPOL #MCA

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