Introduction to Ballast Water Treatment Systems

1. A ship's ballast water treatment system is a device that treats ballast water discharged by the ship into the sea. It is also called a ship's ballast water management system. The English abbreviation is BWMS.

2. It refers to any system that treats ballast water so that it meets or exceeds the ballast water performance standard specified in Article D-2 of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. A ballast water management system includes ballast water treatment equipment, all related control equipment, monitoring equipment, and sampling facilities.

Ship Ballast Water Management System

During a ship's voyage, ballasting is an inevitable condition. When a ship takes on ballast water, organisms in the seawater are also taken into the ballast tanks and are discharged into the waters of the destination after the voyage ends. Ballast water travels with the ship from one place to another, thereby causing the spread of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens. Uncontrolled discharge of ballast water may harm marine ecosystems, socioeconomics, and public health. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has listed the invasion of alien species caused by ships' ballast water as one of the four major hazards to the oceans.

To more effectively control the spread of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens by ships' ballast water, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments in 2004. Since 2009, the Convention has required all new ships to be equipped with ballast water treatment systems and has applied retroactively to existing ships. The Convention clearly specifies the treatment standard for ballast water, namely the types and quantities of viable organisms in treated water (the D-2 standard).

Because the uncontrolled discharge of ships' ballast water causes serious harm to marine ecology and public health, in 2004 the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, aimed at preventing environmental, human health, property, and resource damage caused by the invasion of alien species and the spread of pathogens resulting from ships' ballast water discharge. The Convention stipulates that from 2009, newly built ships must be equipped with ballast water treatment equipment, and that existing ships are subject to retroactive requirements; by 2017, all ocean-going ships must be equipped with ballast water treatment equipment. Otherwise, after the Convention enters into force, they cannot enter ports of IMO member states, and violations of the Convention will face sanctions and penalties. As the entry-into-force date of the Ballast Water Convention approaches, countries around the world are stepping up research and development of ship ballast water treatment technologies. As of now, there are more than 30 foreign R&D institutions, of which 13 have obtained IMO preliminary approval, and among them Sweden, Germany, South Korea, and Norway have obtained final approval.

China now has a huge fleet accounting for 3.4% of the world's total tonnage, and China is also a major shipbuilding and ship-repair country, possessing a huge market for key ship equipment; at the same time, the international market also contains huge potential.

The industrialization of ballast water treatment technology is not only an urgent need to protect the marine ecological environment, but is also of great significance for increasing the installation rate of domestically produced key ship equipment and enhancing the core competitiveness of the shipping industry and the shipbuilding and ship-repair industry. At the same time, it is also of great significance for the Navy's independent equipment construction.

The so-called D-1 standard represents the first transitional stage of implementing the Ballast Water Management Convention. In this stage, all ships not equipped with a compliant ballast water treatment system need to exchange their ballast water in the deep sea beyond the distance specified by the Convention, using one of several approved methods.

The requirement for ships in the Ballast Water Convention is that discharged treated ballast water must meet the D2 standard, and the entry into force of the D2 standard does not depend on the entry into force of the Convention. This is because although the entry-into-force date of the Convention is uncertain, the effective date of the D2 standard in the Convention is clear for each type of ship, and this clause is retroactive, which means that regardless of whether the Convention enters into force and regardless of whether a state is a party, the requirement for ships to install ballast water management systems meeting the D2 standard is mandatory. Therefore, ships, especially newly built ships, must take this requirement into account during ship design. The current problem is that there is no sufficient number of ballast water management systems that meet the needs of all ships, so a postponement of the first effective date of the D2 standard is unavoidable. Resolution A.1005(25) adopted at the 25th IMO Assembly in 2007 resolved the issue of ships built in 2009 by postponing the application date of the D2 standard to December 31, 2011, but whether the application time for ships built in 2010 and thereafter and for existing ships is postponed is to be decided by the MEPC(59) meeting held in 2009.

The next step for shipowners and ship management companies is to check again the renewal dates of the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP Certificate) for each ship. After September 8, 2017, the IOPP Certificate will first specify the deadline for each ship to install a ballast water treatment system. This is the second stage of the Convention, and the D-2 standard in this stage specifies concrete ballast water treatment schemes. The effectiveness of a ballast water treatment system is assessed based on the maximum allowable number of viable organisms in the treated ballast water: no more than ten viable organisms greater than 50 micrometers per cubic meter of water and no more than ten viable organisms between 10 and 50 micrometers per milliliter of water. The Ballast Water Management Convention also lists several indicator microorganisms and broader safety requirements. All ships covered by the Convention need to meet the D-2 standard by 2024-09-08.

All in-service ships lacking a type-approved ballast water treatment system (BWTS) must be retrofitted accordingly according to the renewal date of the IOPP Certificate. There are now many ballast water treatment systems available, but each has its advantages and disadvantages, and we should choose according to the specific characteristics of the ship. At the same time, relevant documents for ship retrofitting should also be sent to the classification society as soon as possible for drawing approval. According to the D-2 standard, ships must carry on board the type approval certificate of the ballast water treatment system issued by a recognized administration, the approved technical documentation, the operation manual of the treatment system, and the International Ballast Water Management Certificate issued after the initial survey to prove that the ship complies with the D-2 standard.

Ships newly built after September 8, 2017 will all need to be equipped with ballast water treatment systems. Ships newly built before that date, if not equipped, also need to be retrofitted accordingly within the specified time.

Ballast Water Treatment D-2 Standard

Selection Requirements for Ballast Water Treatment Systems

The selection of ballast water treatment systems involves a wide range of aspects. On the one hand, for a specific ship, it is directly or indirectly related to the ship's operational characteristics, ballast water treatment requirements, available space for arranging treatment equipment compartments, total capacity of ballast tanks, ballast pump discharge rate, power supply, coordination with other ship systems, and operational requirements, among others. On the other hand, regarding ballast water treatment systems, as a new product, ballast water treatment technology is still developing. Although some ballast water treatment systems have been put into use, the experience gained so far is still limited. Each treatment system has its own characteristics; for example, treatment devices using electrolytic seawater methods have no treatment capability for fresh water ballast, devices using UV methods have limited treatment capability for high-turbidity ballast water, some treatment systems are too bulky, and some have too high power consumption. Filtration, separation, and UV methods operate during loading and unloading and are sized based on the maximum flow rate in the ballast system; conversely, chemical biocides and deoxygenation methods usually require reaching a certain concentration in the ballast tanks. For these systems, the influence of pump flow rate is not significant; rather, the main factor is allowing sufficient retention time in the tanks to achieve the expected kill rate, which may not be suitable for short-voyage ships.

Based on the above reasons, at present, almost no single treatment system is applicable to all ships. To better leverage the advantages of various ballast water treatment technologies and avoid their disadvantages, many treatment systems are based on combinations of two or more technologies. In practice, the selection of a ballast water treatment system is the result of a comprehensive evaluation of various factors.

Comprehensive Considerations

When selecting a ballast water treatment system, the following factors should generally be considered comprehensively:

(1) Ship characteristics;

(2) Treatment system characteristics;

(3) Arrangement and maintenance;

(4) Others.

Vessel Characteristics

1. Ship type and its ballast requirements

(1) In most cases, the ship type will be the determining factor in selecting a suitable treatment system. The ballast capacity and ballast pump flow rate vary greatly among different ship types, and the total ballast capacity of a ship, as well as the ballast water discharge and uptake volumes required at any given port, also differ considerably; some ship types are highly dependent on ballast water, such as oil tankers and bulk carriers, while others have low dependence on ballast water, such as container ships. Ships with high ballast dependence usually require full ballast voyages when empty (without cargo), and their ballast pumps are typically designed to take in or discharge all ballast water within a certain period to accommodate rapid port turnaround times. Ships with low ballast dependence usually have relatively small ballast capacity and rarely undertake full ballast voyages (without cargo); their ballast water operations are very limited and often involve transfer between tanks, such as from one tank to another, to adjust trim and list, without the need to take in or discharge all ballast water within a certain period.

(2) Some ships may have two or more ballast systems; for example, certain oil tankers often have two ballast systems, one in the cargo area (hazardous area) and one in the engine room area (safe area); some ships also use eductors to discharge residual ballast water. When selecting a ballast water treatment system for use in hazardous areas, the hazard level of its location should be considered, and fire and explosion protection is usually required; for ships equipped with eductors for discharging residual ballast water, post-treatment ballast water treatment systems may not be applicable.

2. Ship routes

(1) A ship's trade routes are also one of the factors in selecting treatment equipment. At present, some countries or regions have taken unilateral actions on ballast water management that exceed IMO standards; ships that may call at ports with unilateral discharge requirements should consider complying with the relevant requirements; ships that do not call at ports in those countries or regions need not select a ballast water treatment system with higher treatment capacity; and for ships that rarely visit areas with special discharge requirements, from an economic perspective, consideration may be given to avoiding discharge through ballast water management measures or using shore-based facilities.

(2) The influence of water turbidity, salinity and sediment content on the efficacy or maintenance of some treatment technologies.If a vessel frequently calls at ports where the water has a high sediment content, the impact of turbidity and sediment on the treatment system should be considered when selecting a treatment unit. If a vessel frequently calls at inland river ports or ports with low salinity, the impact of salinity on the treatment system should be considered when selecting a treatment unit.

(3) The impact of sediment (sludge) in ballast tanks also needs to be considered. Since sludge itself contains invasive species, it will contaminate the ballast water taken in, which may make it necessary to treat the ballast water both when it is taken in and when it is discharged. Ballast water treatment systems that require post-treatment are generally not suitable for vessels that discharge ballast water by gravity.

Features of treatment systems

1. Certificate requirements. A ballast water treatment system should hold the necessary certificates.

According to Article D-3 of the Convention regulations, all ballast water treatment systems used to comply with this Convention must be approved by the Administration, and ballast water treatment systems that use active substances must also be approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in accordance with the procedures it has established. For example, for systems that use mechanical and/or physical methods (without the use of active substances), a type approval certificate issued by the Administration should be held; for ballast water treatment systems that use active substance technology (chemical treatment methods), in addition to holding a type approval certificate issued by the Administration, they must also pass the IMO's Basic Approval and Final Approval.

2. Treatment technologies

Each ballast water treatment system has its own basic characteristics, and these characteristics may have a certain impact on vessels of a specific type, trade route or ballast water flow rate, that is, they have a certain impact on the applicability of the treatment system. The basic treatment methods and technologies can be divided into:

• Mechanical methods (filtration or separation)

• Physical disinfection methods (ultraviolet irradiation, cavitation, deoxygenation, etc.)

• Chemical treatment methods (antimicrobial agents and chemicals)

Each technology has its own characteristics, which will affect its applicability to a particular vessel. Most treatment systems adopt a combination of the above technologies to overcome the shortcomings of a single technology.

(1) Mechanical method

This system requires all ballast water to pass through filters, cyclonic separators, or other separators. In the case of large ballast water flow rates, the size of the equipment may pose problems. If the equipment is used during ballast water discharge, a large amount of filtered material must be retained on board the ship, which will increase the storage burden.

(2) Physical disinfection method

Ultraviolet treatment is usually carried out when ballast water is taken in and discharged. Its effectiveness is affected by the turbidity of the water, which affects the penetration ability of light. Deoxygenation treatment may take several days to ensure the kill rate of aquatic organisms. In addition, the ballast tanks must have a sealed ventilation system and should be completely inerted.

(3) Chemical treatment

The dosage should be appropriate, and it can usually achieve a kill rate of aquatic organisms within a few hours. However, excessive chemicals may remain when ballast water is discharged, so it is usually necessary to neutralize the chemicals in the water to ensure that they are harmless to the discharge environment. In addition, if the chemical concentration in the ballast tank is too high, it may corrode the ballast tank walls.

3. Treatment system dimensions

Generally, the treatment capacity of the treatment system should be equal to or slightly greater than the maximum flow rate of the ballast pump, and the treatment capacity of the treatment system directly determines the size of the treatment system. The shapes and dimensions of different treatment systems vary greatly. Some treatment systems require branch pipelines to be installed from the ship's ballast piping, and the installation of such pipelines may even have a greater impact than the installation of the treatment system itself. For newbuildings, the arrangement space for the treatment system can be comprehensively considered at the design stage. For existing ships, due to limited space, the installation of the system will be a challenge. Appendix 1 of this article provides the spatial dimensions of different treatment systems for reference. In addition, appropriate maintenance access should be reserved for the installed treatment system, including ladders, platforms, lighting, crane rails, lifting eyes, and spaces for cleaning internal components and storing and disposing of consumables. The spaces (which may also be outside the engine room) require fire protection systems and ventilation systems, etc.

4. Treatment system capacity

Usually, when selecting a ballast water treatment system, it must be ensured that it can handle the maximum ballast water flow rate. However, from the perspective of reducing the purchase, operation, and maintenance costs of the ballast water treatment system, for certain ships with low dependence on ballast, a system with relatively smaller treatment capacity may be selected.

5. Pressure drop of the treatment system

Installing certain ballast water treatment systems will cause a decrease in ballast water flow and pressure. For example, some automatic flushing filters or cyclones may lose about 10% of the pressure head when removing filtered substances; for treatment systems using ultraviolet sterilization technology, all ballast water will pass through the treatment system, and the back pressure will increase, thereby affecting the pump flow rate. Therefore, this will prolong the ballast operation time and consume more power. Thus, when selecting a treatment system, necessary consideration should be given to the pressure drop that may occur during system use.

6. Power of the treatment system

When selecting a ballast water treatment system, the power consumption of the system should be considered. Especially for existing ships, the additional power requirement is a major constraint in system selection. Some treatment systems have high power consumption, such as ultraviolet systems. Some existing ships will not be able to withstand excessive additional power consumption, and high-power equipment will also increase operating costs considerably. Therefore, when selecting a system, the power margin of the ship's power station should be estimated in advance to confirm that the existing power generation equipment can meet the additional power requirements.

7. Protection rating and explosion protection

The protection rating (IP rating) and fire rating of the treatment device and the materials used should meet the classification society's requirements for its installation location on board. Special attention should be paid to the explosion-proof requirements for equipment when the treatment system is installed in hazardous areas. For example, equipment installed in the cargo pump room must be certified explosion-proof electrical equipment, but for equipment installed in the engine room, there is no explosion-proof rating requirement. According to the requirements of Part 4, Chapter 1, Section 1.3.2.2 of the China Classification Society (CCS) "Rules for the Classification of Sea-going Steel Ships", the electrical equipment associated with the ballast water treatment system should have an appropriate enclosure protection type and should be suitable for the installation location.For oil tankers, chemical tankers and other ships carrying dangerous goods, the relevant explosion-proof requirements should be noted when installing ballast water treatment equipment. If installed in hazardous areas, the electrical equipment within the system should adopt an appropriate explosion-proof type.

Arrangement and maintenance

On the basis of comprehensively considering the above-mentioned ship and treatment system factors, the arrangement of the treatment system on board and the subsequent maintenance requirements are also important factors that must be considered when selecting a ballast water treatment system. Especially for existing ships, the arrangement space for the treatment system may be a significant challenge. Therefore, when selecting a ballast water treatment system, it should be ensured that it can be smoothly installed on board in the future, and its subsequent maintenance should also be considered. With respect to the arrangement and maintenance of the treatment system, the following factors should generally be considered:

1. Ship information

To evaluate the installation location of the treatment equipment on board, especially for existing ships, it is necessary to understand the spatial locations on the ship where equipment and systems can be installed (such as the engine room arrangement plan, pump room arrangement plan, general arrangement plan, etc.) as well as the configuration of the ship's ballast water system (such as the ballast water piping diagram); the relevant information shown in the above drawings may directly affect the installation location of the equipment and the configuration requirements of the system, which is conducive to the smooth installation of the treatment system.

2. Sharing with the existing ballast system

In the selection and arrangement of systems for existing ships, consideration should also be given to enabling the ballast water treatment system to share the ship's existing ballast system to the greatest extent possible, so that the system can work well in combination with the existing ballast water system, thereby simplifying system modification and facilitating subsequent maintenance.

3. Sampling

The installation of sampling devices should be considered in advance in the system arrangement for the purpose of inspections by port State control or management personnel authorized by the competent authority, etc., to confirm compliance with the D2 discharge standard of the Ballast Water Convention. The sampling location and the arrangement of sampling devices should comply with the relevant requirements of the IMO Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling (G2).

4. Control and monitoring

All treatment systems should generally be provided with a remote control panel near the ballast system control panel, or this control panel may be integrated into the ballast system control panel. The remote control panel usually includes on/off control of the treatment system, valves and indicator lights for system operating status. Most treatment systems provide a main control panel near the equipment to facilitate local operation and monitoring of system operating conditions. The shipowner may require the control system, alarm system and monitoring system to be integrated for ease of management.

5. Maintenance

When selecting a ballast water treatment system, subsequent maintenance requirements should be taken into account. As a newly developed technology, the ballast water treatment system lacks operational experience, and its reliability is usually indicated by the complexity of the system, such as filters, UV lamp areas, chemical dosing systems, routine maintenance of the treatment system by the crew, and chlorine and other chemical generation systems. Generally, treatment systems with complex composition will have relatively affected reliability. A system with good reliability and low maintenance requirements can not only reduce the crew's maintenance burden but also reduce system maintenance costs.

Others

1. Corrosion of ballast tanks and piping

Some ballast water treatment technologies may change the chemical composition of the ballast water or the atmospheric composition in the ballast tanks. If designed and operated improperly, they may damage the ballast tank coatings and accelerate the corrosion of ballast tanks and piping. Therefore, this should be considered when selecting a treatment system.

2. Storage of hazardous chemicals

The active substances used in ballast water treatment systems include chemicals such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid. The use of these chemical biocides and active substances increases the risks to the health and safety of shipboard operators, including risks to the environment. Port authorities may have different requirements for the discharge concentration of active substances in ballast water, and ships frequently navigating in sensitive areas should pay more attention to this when selecting a treatment system. The manufacturer should confirm in writing that the treated ballast water complies with the relevant regulations of the operating areas the ship visits. Since hazardous substance management burdens are added to the crew, the crew's skills and training as well as their ability to handle safety risks should also be considered when selecting a treatment system.

3. System acquisition and maintenance costs

In addition to acquisition costs, operating costs should also be considered. Operating costs include energy consumption, consumption of stored chemicals (active substances), spare parts consumption and training costs, etc.

Applicability of main ballast water treatment systems to different types of ships

General applicability of some ballast water treatment systems to different types of ships

1. The selection and installation of a ballast water treatment system is a comprehensive project that will be limited by many factors such as ship characteristics, treatment technology and system treatment capacity. Therefore, the relevant parties should conduct a comprehensive consideration by combining various factors.

2. After years of research and development by the marine equipment industry, ballast water treatment technology is becoming increasingly mature. Up to now, at least 17 ballast water treatment systems have been approved by national competent authorities and/or the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and have been commercially produced, which means that the environmental acceptability and treatment effectiveness of these 17 ballast water treatment systems have been fully recognized by the international community and can be supplied to the market.

3. The left appendix is an example list of the general applicability of some ballast water treatment systems that are already available for practical use to different types of ships.

Approval and authorization requirements for ballast water management systems

Figure 1: Approval/authorization process for ballast water management systems using active substances

Approval and authorization process for ballast water management systems

Article D-3 of the Convention stipulates that ballast water treatment systems must be type-approved by the competent authority in accordance with the IMO Guidelines for Ballast Water Management Systems (G8). Ballast water management systems that use active substances or preparations containing one or more active substances must also be approved by the IMO in accordance with the Organization's Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances (G9). Type approval of ballast water management systems is divided into two stages: "land-based testing" and "shipboard testing". IMO approval includes two stages: basic approval and final approval.

Figure 2 Approval/authorization process for ballast water management systems not using active substances

In accordance with the requirements of the China Classification Society's Guidelines for Type Approval of Ship Ballast Water Management Systems:

1. Figures 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams of the approval and authorization process for ship ballast water management systems using active substances and not using active substances, respectively, including two parts: type approval and application to IMO or the competent authority for approval. Submission to IMO for approval requires basic approval and final approval. The specific application and approval procedures should be implemented in accordance with the IMO Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances (G9) and the relevant provisions of the competent authority.

For ballast water management systems that have been assessed and confirmed not to use and/or produce active substances, and that have passed the environmental acceptability assessment organized by the competent authority or its authorized organization, submission to IMO for approval may not be required.

2. Manufacturers should fully understand whether the ship ballast water management system for which type approval is being applied belongs to a system that uses and/or produces active substances as defined in 1.5(1). If it cannot be determined, consultation should be made with the relevant competent authority or this Society before applying for type approval, so as to reasonably arrange various tests and trials, and reasonably arrange the sequence and timetable for type approval and submission to IMO for approval (basic approval and final approval).

3. Manufacturers may decide, based on their readiness, the chronological order of applying for type approval and submitting to IMO for basic approval/final approval, but attention should be paid to the interrelationship and connection between the IMO Guidelines for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems (G8) and the Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances (G9), and in particular to the following:

(1) In general, the shipboard testing part of type approval should be conducted after obtaining IMO basic approval. If type approval is applied for before IMO grants basic approval, once the submitted ballast water management system fails to pass IMO basic approval, the results of the land-based tests conducted will be invalid. Manufacturers should be clearly aware of the risks that may exist in starting type approval before obtaining IMO basic approval and bear the consequences that may arise therefrom;

(2) When applying for IMO final approval, it is necessary to submit toxicity test data of the discharged water treated by the land-based test facility during type approval.

4. For ballast water management systems that do not use active substances or preparations, if there is a possibility that the chemical composition of the treated water may be altered and its discharge may have adverse effects on the receiving water, documents on the toxicity test results of the treated water shall also be submitted in accordance with the requirements of 5.5.3 of these Guidelines.

Approval process for ballast water management systems using active substances or preparations

Type approval and certification procedure

1. Application for type approval

1.1 The manufacturer of the ballast water management system shall submit to the Society in writing an application for type approval of the ballast water management system and an application for approval of marine product drawings/documents.

1.2 At the same time as submitting the application, the manufacturer shall also submit the following information:

(1) Factory profile: manufacturer name, address, production history, production capacity, technical and inspection personnel, main products, affiliation, product trademark, etc.;

(2) Details of the product applied for approval;

(3) Main production equipment;

(4) Main testing equipment;

(5) Brief production process of the product applied for approval;

(6) Quality management documents;

(7) Enterprise registration certificate;

(8) Qualification certificate and/or production license;

(9) Sample product quality certificate;

(10) Quality control plan, if applicable.

2. Drawings and technical documents

2.1 The manufacturer shall submit three copies of the drawings and technical documents in accordance with the requirements of 5.1 of Chapter 5 of these Guidelines.

2.2 Before the approval tests of the ballast water management system, as part of the approval procedure, the approval of the submitted drawings and technical documents by the Society is a prerequisite for conducting independent approval tests. Modifications to the drawings during the prototype testing shall be resubmitted to the Society for approval.

3. Approval tests

3.1 The approval tests of the ballast water management system include land-based tests, shipboard tests, and environmental tests of electrical and electronic systems.

3.2 Before the land-based tests and shipboard tests, the Society will conduct a pre-test assessment in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 6 of these Guidelines to confirm the reasonableness of the test requirements and test procedures proposed by the manufacturer and to check the adequacy of the test preparations.

Type approval certificate for ship ballast water management system

3.3 The land-based tests and shipboard tests shall be conducted in accordance with the relevant requirements of Chapters 7 and 9 of the Guidelines, respectively.

4. Issuance of certificate/document of compliance

4.1 The Society approves a ballast water management system that complies in all respects with the requirements of these Guidelines by issuing a "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System" and agrees to its installation and use on board ships.

With reference to the approval/authorization process for ballast water management systems introduced in Chapter 2 of the Guidelines, for a ballast water management system that does not use active substances, if the land-based tests, shipboard tests, and environmental tests have been completed and the relevant requirements of these Guidelines are met, the Society shall issue a "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System"; if the system uses active substances, in addition to completing the land-based tests, shipboard tests, and environmental tests and meeting the relevant requirements of these Guidelines, the system must also obtain IMO "Final Approval" before the Society issues a "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System".

4.2 The "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System" is issued for a specific scope of application of the approved ballast water management system, such as for a specific ballast water capacity, flow rate, salinity or temperature, or other limiting conditions or environments, as applicable. The approval certificate shall specify the main details of the unit and the limiting conditions that must be observed to ensure its proper use. Ships equipped with the equipment must always carry a copy of the "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System" on board.

4.3 The "Type Approval Certificate for Ballast Water Management System" shall:

.1 identify the type and model of the applicable ballast water management system, as well as the equipment assembly drawing, and be dated;

.2 identify the relevant diagrams with model specification numbers or equivalent identification details;

.3 include a reference to the complete performance test protocol on which the certificate is based, and be accompanied by a copy of the original test results;

4.4 If scaling is carried out in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 8 of these Guidelines, the issued type approval certificate should include each basic unit and each scaled system.

4.5 In order for the approved ballast water management systems of the same type to be approved for installation and use on board ships, the manufacturer shall also submit to the Society an application for product inspection and the operation and technical manual of the ship's ballast water management system. The Society will conduct product inspection in accordance with the approved inspection plan and issue a marine product certificate upon satisfactory results.

Latest Developments in Ballast Water Treatment Technology

It has been more than 8 years since IMO formally adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. Following the adoption of the Convention, ballast water treatment systems have become indispensable equipment for ships, and the research and development of ballast water treatment systems has been in full swing. Today, many ballast water treatment systems are available for shipyards and design institutes to choose from, but due to limitations such as ship characteristics, treatment technology, and treatment capacity, almost no single treatment system can be applied to all types of ships. As the entry into force of the Ballast Water Management Convention approaches, every ship will have to face the issue of ballast water treatment in the future. The world's most advanced technological achievements and classic cases are summarized below for the industry's reference.

Rules Related to Ballast Water Treatment Systems

Treated ballast water must meet the ballast water performance standard specified in Regulation D-2 of the "Regulations for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments" in the annex to the Ballast Water Management Convention. Generally, the treatment system itself and the ballast water treatment process are collectively referred to as the ballast water management system. The Convention stipulates that the ballast water management system must be approved in accordance with Regulation D-3 (Conditions for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems), and specifies that if the system does not generate or does not require the use of active substances, a type approval shall be issued by the flag State Administration; if it generates or requires the use of active substances, IMO approval is required. The active substances referred to here are substances that have a general or specific effect on harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens contained in ballast water, specifically chemical reagents, bacteria, and chemicals generated within the system. That is to say, for ballast water management systems, whether their treatment capacity meets the discharge standards is approved by the Administration, while the treatment method is approved by IMO. These approval procedures are set out in the guidelines to the Ballast Water Convention. Guidelines G1 to G14 are developed by IMO, of which G8 is the "Guidelines for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems" and G9 is the "Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances". IMO issues approval for ballast water management systems that comply with G9. Figure 1 shows the general flowchart of the approval procedures under G8 and G9.

Figure 1 shows the general flowchart of the approval procedures under G8 and G9

The process for obtaining approval of a ballast water management system under G8 generally consists of four steps: drawing review, land-based testing, shipboard testing, and environmental testing. The results of these tests are all necessary for applying for approval. The general content of each test is as follows: land-based testing mainly involves treating 200 m3 of test water and analyzing whether it meets the D-2 standard after 5 days. The test water uses two of the following: seawater, fresh water, and brackish water, and the test is repeated 5 times. Shipboard testing mainly involves installing the ballast water system requiring approval on one or more ships and completing at least 6 months of routine quantitative ballast water operation cycles on board; after three consecutive such cycles, the biological analysis results meeting the D-2 standard are submitted to the Administration. Environmental testing targets the electrical and electronic equipment used in the ballast water treatment system and involves general ship environmental testing.

If the ballast water management system requires the use of or generates active substances during the treatment process, an application for review must be submitted to IMO in accordance with the G9 guidelines (if no active substances are used or generated, only the G8 guidelines need to be followed). The approval under the G9 guidelines consists of two parts: basic approval and final approval. Basic approval is based on the laboratory level, and final approval requires meeting the shipboard level. Most ballast water management systems currently submitted for review are of the type that requires the use of or generates active substances to kill pathogens. For this reason, almost all systems will be subject to the approval process specified in G9.

The general composition of a ballast water management system is shown in Figure 2. First, ballast water pumps are used to draw seawater containing marine organisms into the ship. Before this seawater is conveyed to the ballast water tanks, the ballast water treatment system treats it. First, physical treatment using filters and other equipment removes larger organisms, and then active substances are used to kill smaller organisms and pathogens. The treated seawater is stored in ballast water tanks. During discharge, before being discharged overboard using the ballast water pumps, it must undergo further treatment and neutralization. In particular, except for thermal treatment technologies, ballast water that uses or generates active substances must be purified before discharge—this point is especially critical. That is to say, even if active substances are used for biological treatment, their discharge itself must not have an impact on organisms.

Seven Treatment Methods Approved by IMO

Ballast water treatment systems can kill various organisms and pathogens in water, and there are multiple treatment methods to choose from, among which seven methods have received IMO approval.

Filtration treatment. Using filters to remove microorganisms inhabiting seawater is the most traditional treatment method. If the filter mesh is small, plankton and other microorganisms can also be removed, but it can also cause filter clogging, requiring frequent cleaning. In addition, if the filter mesh is too small, it will affect the water flow rate, so the mesh size is limited. Currently, filtration is mostly used for the preliminary treatment of removing large marine organisms from freshly drawn seawater.

Among which seven methods have received IMO approval

Cavitation and fluid pressure. This method, like filtration, involves installing a treatment device in the pipeline, but the difference is that it installs plate-like treatment devices with tiny gaps between the plates; marine organisms passing through the gaps are cut or crushed by pressure. Compared with filtration, this method does not cause clogging, but because it installs equipment in the pipeline that affects flow velocity, it is necessary to increase the pressure used to send seawater to the ballast water tanks.

Mechanical treatment. This method is a pre-treatment for freshly drawn ballast water: coagulants or magnetic powder are added to the water to make microorganisms coagulate into particles about 1 mm in diameter, which are then filtered using magnets or filters. This method can be seen as an evolution of filtration; because it requires a mechanical treatment process, a certain amount of equipment space is needed. In addition, during the coagulation process, bacteria as well as microorganisms coagulate into particles, so there is no need to inject chemical reagents to kill pathogens.

Ultraviolet (UV) treatment. Organisms or bacteria exposed directly to ultraviolet light suffer DNA damage and die. Using this principle, a treatment method was developed to eliminate microorganisms and pathogens in ballast water with ultraviolet light.

Chlorination. Chlorides, like ultraviolet light, have a bactericidal effect, and this is used to kill microorganisms and pathogens in ballast water. Available chlorides include chlorine dioxide, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, etc. However, when chlorides are used to sterilize ballast water, their residues can cause secondary pollution, so the chlorine content in the water must be reduced to a safe range before discharge. The main methods for generating various chlorides include adding chemical reagents or electrolyzing ballast water to generate chlorides.

Ozone treatment. This method uses the strong oxidizing properties of ozone to kill microorganisms and pathogens in ballast water.If an ozone generation device is installed on board, there is no need to add chemical agents to the ballast water, and ballast water can be treated continuously. However, ozone is not only harmful to humans but may also cause corrosive damage to the entire ballast water system chain, including the ballast water tanks, so appropriate protective measures must be taken.

Heating method. Essentially all organisms are destroyed at high temperatures, so the heating method can be said to be a very effective means of removing microorganisms and pathogens from ballast water. If there were a ballast water treatment device that used only the heating method, since no active substances would be used, it would not need to obtain approval under the G9 Guidelines. However, the amount of ballast water is generally as much as one-fourth of a ship's full-load displacement, and when used on large ships, it is very difficult to heat a large amount of ballast water in a short time and maintain it for a certain period.

Summarizing the above seven treatment methods, they can be broadly classified into: physical treatment methods; mechanical treatment methods; chemical treatment methods; and the heating method. The Ballast Water Management Convention requires that pathogens be treated, and since all methods other than the heating method use active substances, review under the G9 Guidelines cannot be avoided. As for the heating method, if active substances need to be added during the process, it also needs to undergo review under the G9 Guidelines.

Development of Ballast Water Treatment Devices

In summary, an ideal ballast water treatment system should satisfy the following conditions:

1. Ensure the safety of the crew and the hull itself;

2. Ensure the safety of residents and workers around the discharge waters;

3. Not affect ship navigation (process as much ballast water as possible in as short a time as possible);

4. Minimize the space required for the treatment device so that it can be installed on any ship;

5. Minimize the energy consumption required for device operation;

6. Simplify the operation of the device as much as possible so that it is maintenance-free;

7. Minimize the cost of introducing and operating the device.

However, the development of ballast water treatment systems is very difficult, and no system that meets all the conditions has yet been developed. As of July 2011, there were 59 types of ballast water treatment devices, including those under development, of which 17 had obtained type approval under the G8 Guidelines, 16 had obtained basic approval under the G9 Guidelines, and 9 had obtained final approval under the G9 Guidelines. There were 55 companies developing ballast water treatment systems, mainly in the United States, Japan, and South Korea. As the entry into force of the Ballast Water Management Convention approaches, the number of companies participating in and launching development plans increased by 14 between 2010 and 2011. Regarding treatment methods, current ballast water treatment devices all divide the treatment process into two stages; the first stage, also called the pretreatment stage, is mostly performed with filters, while the treatment methods in the second stage vary widely.

Although the first-generation ballast water treatment systems meeting the D-2 standard all passed the various tests and standards required by the G8 and G9 Guidelines, because the G8 and G9 themselves were still at an exploratory stage at the time, some of these devices could not meet the test requirements now set out in the G8 Guidelines, and the G9 Guidelines at that time did not take into consideration the purification process for ballast water discharge, so there were significant restrictions on the concentration and content of active substances; therefore, even if hybrid treatment systems were developed, their treatment effectiveness was limited. By the second-generation treatment systems, the G8 onshore test requirements had become more common and complete, the restrictions on active substances in G9 had been relaxed considerably, and ballast water treatment systems with better effectiveness appeared, equipped with active substance neutralization equipment. Today's third-generation devices pursue higher treatment performance than that required by G8 and G9.

According to the relevant provisions, the Ballast Water Management Convention will enter into force 12 months after 30 countries have ratified it and the total tonnage of ships registered in those countries accounts for 35% of the world's total merchant ship tonnage. As of the end of July 2011, 28 countries had ratified the Convention, and the registered ship tonnage accounted for 25.43% of the world's total merchant ship tonnage. Even ships under the flag of non-party states must meet the requirements of the Convention when they need to call at ports of party states, so ships under construction must all take the Convention's impact into account.

Installation Schedule for Ship Ballast Water Treatment Systems

About the IMO Convention and USCG Standards

USCG Implementation Schedule

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, developed by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) in 2004, is approaching its entry into force. The number of countries that have acceded to the Convention has now exceeded the threshold for entry into force (30 countries), and the tonnage is also approaching the set value (35% of the world's total merchant ship tonnage). At the same time, because the Convention is retroactive, new ships built after 2009 are also required to be equipped with ballast water treatment systems in accordance with the Convention.

Recently, the USCG also officially issued new regulations on ship ballast water. The traditional ballast water exchange method can no longer meet the requirements, and ships will have to install ballast water treatment systems to prevent invasive alien species from being transported into U.S. waters. In this requirement, the USCG standard is the same as the D-2 standard of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention.USCG regulations 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 151 and 46 CFR Part 162 will take effect on June 21, 2012; see the appendix for the implementation schedule.

Introduction to Domestic and International R&D of Ballast Water Treatment Systems

　　Currently, among the entire international maritime community, a total of 13 R&D institutions' products have received IMO preliminary approval, of which 8 ballast water treatment systems have passed IMO final approval. They are: Japan's Hitachi "Clear Ballast" system, South Korea's Techcross "Electro-Clean" system, Norway's OceanSaver "OceanSaver" system, Germany's HamannEvomk Degussa "SEDNA" system, Sweden's Alfa Laval "Pure Ballast" system, Finland's GreellShip "Sedinox" system, South Korea's NK-O3 "Blue Ballast" system, and Germany's RWO Seawater Treatment Technology "Clean Ballast" system.

　　In Japan, 7 manufacturers have conducted R&D on ballast water treatment systems, of which 4 have obtained IMO preliminary approval and 1 has obtained final approval. According to Yoshihama Numata of Hitachi Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., the Hitachi "Clear Ballast" ballast water purification system, which received IMO final approval, adopts coagulation and magnetic separation technology to achieve optimal purification effects, and has advantages such as high cleanliness, effective suppression of pathogens, reliable performance in environmental protection and ship safety, and low power consumption.

　　South Korea has compared the "Ballast Water Management Convention" with the performance standards requirements of various countries' regional sea areas. The comparison results show that most of the Convention's D-2 standards are lower than the regional sea area standards of various countries. At the same time, South Korean research found that among the 8 ballast water treatment systems that have passed IMO approval, at least 7 meet the requirements of the California discharge standards. For this reason, Nam Dae Heo from South Korea's Techcross suggested that shipowners or ship operators carefully check relevant data to effectively ensure that the system can meet discharge standard requirements during actual operation.

　　Currently, South Korea has evaluated the feasibility of ballast water treatment systems from a technical perspective. Nam Dae Heo revealed that their evaluation results show: adopting ultraviolet irradiation technology requires increasing engine capacity or the number of engines; adopting filtration technology requires increasing the output pressure of pumps; adopting chemical methods requires considering the placement and construction of storage tanks or piping systems.

The PureBallast system, developed by the Swedish company Alfa Laval, is based on advanced oxidation technology (AOT) and uses no chemicals in its process; this is known as Wallenius AOT. The technology enables the system to generate free radicals when excited by light; these free radicals, with a lifespan of only a few milliseconds, can break down the cell membranes of microorganisms without the use of chemicals and do not produce harmful residues.

At present, few ballast water treatment technologies can be installed on large vessels such as crude oil tankers, LNG carriers and chemical tankers, but testing by authoritative bodies of the ballast water treatment system developed by Norway's OceanSaver has shown that the system can be installed and used on such ships. Following approval by the International Maritime Environmental Protection Committee, the relevant Norwegian government authorities and classification society also granted OceanSaver type approval at the end of last year. The OceanSaver system will be brought to market.

The UK company Hanovia has developed an ultraviolet ballast water treatment system. The system consists of a high-intensity medium-pressure ultraviolet disinfection unit and an automatic backflush filter. The filter is used to remove larger organisms, while the ultraviolet unit is used to kill microorganisms in the ballast water, meeting the Convention's key requirement of "fewer than 10 viable organisms per cubic metre measuring 50 micrometres or more". The system can be controlled by a main PLC unit or integrated into the ship's machinery automation network; it is small in size and simple to operate and maintain.

The external safety efficiency deactivation system developed by the German company Hamann treats ballast water in several stages. First, a hydrocyclone uses centrifugal force to filter out solids, thereby preventing sedimentation by separating out larger debris, which often provides a habitat for plankton; separating out this larger debris prevents these live plankton from entering the tanks. Second, a second-stage filter removes particles with a diameter of 50 micrometres or more. After these physical steps, the ballast water must then be treated with a chlorine-free oxidant at a concentration of 150 PPM. The oxidant is fully biodegradable.

The VOS ballast water treatment system developed by the US company NEI uses Venturi tube deoxygenation technology; when ballast water enters the tanks, the system can remove 95% of the oxygen in the water within 10 seconds through the Venturi deoxygenation tube, creating a low-oxygen state in the ballast tanks;At the same time, mixed cavitation occurs, and the pH value drops to 6.0, thereby killing microorganisms.

The marine ballast water treatment system "EcoBallast" developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea has passed a series of tests including reliability, corrosion resistance, and shock resistance. The system consists of two parts: a filter and a UV generator, and is operated by a controller installed on the bridge console. This system does not use chemical treatment, does not produce chemicals, and does not adversely affect ballast water tanks, crew, or the environment.

Just recently, at the 59th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the Hitachi ballast water purification system ClearBallast, jointly developed by Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, received final type approval from the International Maritime Organization. This system uses an active substance (G9) and is the first ballast water system in Japan to receive approval. Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will accelerate the administrative procedures required to complete type approval and actively market the system, aiming to achieve 100 orders by 2012.

South Korea's 21st Century Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. has developed plasma purification treatment technology for ship ballast water and has developed ballast water inspection equipment. Recently, the company signed cooperation agreements with the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute, the Korea Small and Medium Shipbuilding Research Institute, Gyeongsangnam-do High-Tech Company, the Korea Small and Medium Shipbuilding Enterprises Association, and six marine equipment companies, planning to achieve commercial production of the plasma purification treatment technology and equipment in the second half of 2010, and to jointly invest USD 800,000 to test the produced products and apply for quality certification.

In terms of ballast water treatment system research and development, China is currently relatively lagging behind. No domestic company has yet obtained preliminary approval from the IMO. Domestic research and development units such as the 725th Research Institute, COSCO Group together with Tsinghua University, and Dalian Maritime University have begun to take shape. Among them, the 725th Research Institute has advantages in industrial foundation, research and development, and progress in applying for approval.

The hydroxyl radical ship ballast water treatment system developed by Dalian Maritime University can produce 200 tons of hydroxyl solution per hour, can kill marine organisms during the ballast water discharge process in less than 5 seconds with a kill rate exceeding 99%, has an operating cost of 0.03 yuan/ton, and produces no secondary pollution. Its overall indicators have reached the international leading level, and it has obtained invention patents in the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

The 725th Research Institute, affiliated with China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, is a comprehensive military research institute engaged in the development and application research of naval ship materials in China. Since 2007, it has been developing electrolytic ballast water treatment devices. Its core technology, "electrolysis of seawater to produce sodium hypochlorite," is an efficient and environmentally friendly seawater treatment technology. It was initially applied to military ship domestic sewage treatment systems and is the mainstream technology for ballast water treatment internationally. It is mature in land applications and widely used in seawater utilization systems such as coastal power plants and nuclear power plants to prevent marine biofouling, and has reached the international advanced level. All nuclear power plants in China now use this institute's technology, and more than 60% of domestic thermal power plants also use this technology. At present, this device technology has reached the level of applying for IMO approval.

In addition, the "BAL—CLORTM" ballast water treatment system developed by Qingdao Sunrui Corrosion and Fouling Control Company starting in 2006 has currently only passed third-party inspection confirming compliance with IMO D-2 standards. According to Fu Hongtian of the company, the system achieves efficient, economical, and large-capacity ballast water treatment through designs such as effective filtration, seawater electrolysis, and neutralization optimization, with a seawater treatment capacity of 200 to 700 cubic meters per hour, and has no side effects on the marine environment. He revealed that the system is expected to receive final IMO approval within this year.

The RD-ODME device independently developed by Shanghai Rongde Company can be applied to the monitoring of oily ballast water discharge from oil tankers. The device can monitor the total amount of oily discharge accumulated per voyage and the instantaneous discharge rate of oily substances according to the International Maritime Organization's regulations on oil tanker oily discharge. When the total oily discharge or instantaneous discharge rate exceeds the indicators of the International Maritime Organization's oily discharge regulations, or when the RD-ODME device itself malfunctions, the device will automatically close the discharge control valve instantly, causing the oil tanker to stop discharging ballast water. The device has obtained a national patent, as well as the EU EC product approval certificate and type approval certificates issued by the China Classification Society and Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Since its successful development, the device has been installed on hundreds of ships.

Qingdao Headway Marine Technology Co., Ltd. began independent research and development of ship ballast water treatment systems in 2007. It was the first Chinese company to submit a ballast water treatment system test application to the International Maritime Organization, and the first company to pass the toxicity characteristic approval test of the Norwegian Institute for Water Research recognized by the IMO. The company's ship ballast water treatment system project was listed as a high-tech ship research project by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China in May this year and will receive 10 million yuan in national funding support.

Research on the Status of Ballast Water Treatment Equipment Manufacturers

Analysis of Ballast Water Treatment Equipment Manufacturers

With the clarification of the implementation timetable of the Ballast Water Management Convention, the related impacts are becoming clearer. For the shipbuilding industry, the implementation of the Convention will bring a long-awaited wave of orders to the ballast water treatment system supply market.

As of July 2017, a total of 90 ballast water treatment systems had been registered with the IMO, of which 68 systems had obtained type approval from the competent authorities, and the vast majority of the equipment could be installed on ships; 22 systems were still in the approval process (see the left figure for the specific distribution of supplier countries).

Due to significant controversies over issues such as the actual ship treatment compliance of ballast water management systems and the analytical methods for port state supervision, it is generally believed worldwide that installing a treatment system with US Coast Guard (USCG) type approval carries the least compliance risk, but the price is also about 20% higher than other equipment. Currently, systems from five companies—OceanSaver (Norway), Optimarin (Norway), Alfa Laval (Sweden), Qingdao Sunrui (China), and Ecochlor (USA)—have obtained USCG type approval. In the future, as more and more treatment equipment obtains USCG type approval, market competition will become more intense.

According to currently available data, South Korean ballast water treatment equipment occupies nearly half of the global market. Through research on four South Korean ballast water treatment equipment R&D companies, the relevant information is summarized as follows:

It should be noted that Techcross, as a leading company in the research and development of ballast water treatment systems in South Korea, has launched a five-year research and development project targeting the USCG Phase 2 discharge requirements, namely from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2018. The content includes: developing a treatment system that can meet the USCG Phase 2 standards and is 1,000 times higher than the IMO D-2 standard; establishing a USCG Phase 2 ballast water treatment system testing, evaluation, and certification system, formulating test procedures, and improving shore-based test facilities. This shows that South Korean ballast water treatment system R&D companies have already made predictions about future market demand and are continuously expanding their competitive advantages through technological research and development.

IMO Plans to Add a New Module for Ballast Water Management Systems to GISIS

The IMO established the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) in 2005, and the IMO Secretariat issued guidance to national competent authorities in the form of Circular No. 2639 on the use of reporting reception facilities and inadequate facilities. To date, nine modules in GISIS have been opened to IMO Member States and the public (see http://gisis.imo.org/public). Through dedicated accounts for each module, Member States can log in directly to record and modify entries. The management authority for access to and use of GISIS electronic reports is determined at the discretion of the administrative bodies of Member States via URL (http://gisis.imo.org/Members).

Recently, the IMO (see MEPC59/2/12) plans to add a new module to GISIS concerning ballast water management systems, specifically including:

Information on type-approved ballast water management systems

According to Article D-3.1 of the Ballast Water Convention, ballast water management systems must be approved by the competent authority in accordance with the G8 Guidelines. According to Article D-3.2 of the Convention, ballast water management systems using active substances must be approved by the IMO in accordance with the G9 procedures.

Section 8.3 of the G9 procedures requires that the IMO record active substances and preparations that have received preliminary approval and final approval, as well as ballast water management systems using active substances and preparations, and notify the following information annually:

- The name of the ballast water management system using active substances and preparations;

- The date of approval;

- The name of the manufacturer; and

- Other explanations, if necessary.

Recognizing that the collection and dissemination of accurate information on type-approved ballast water management systems is beneficial to all parties concerned, MEPC 58 adopted resolution MEPC.175(58), inviting Member States, when they approve a ballast water management system in accordance with the G8 Guidelines, to report the following information to the IMO:

1 Date of approval;

2 Name of the competent authority;

3 Name of the ballast water management system;

4 A copy of the type approval certificate and its annexes, including detailed information on the shore-based and shipboard test results and procedures used for the ballast water management system approved in accordance with the G8 Guidelines, and the toxicity test results;

5 If an active substance is used, the active substance should be specified; and

6 The specific MEPC report and paragraph number for final approval obtained in accordance with the G9 procedures.

Resolution MEPC.175 (58) also instructed the Secretariat to organize this information using appropriate methods.

The Ballast Water Management System Database in GISIS

To meet this requirement and after analyzing the vast quantity of data involved, and after examining various methods of disseminating this information, it was recommended that a dedicated electronic database be established within IMO's GISIS to facilitate global access to information on the approval of ballast water management systems, promote data exchange and ensure the accuracy of data and information. The objectives of the database are:

1 To disseminate the latest information on type-approved ballast water management systems to the worldwide shipping industry via the Internet;

2 To have information regularly updated by Member Governments; and

3 To facilitate user queries.

As with the recently available IMO anti-pollution equipment database, once the ballast water management system database is established, Member States will receive a username and password, and Member Governments will be able to update information on type-approved ballast water management systems by adding a new entry and editing it, or by deleting existing outdated records.

After a trial period, the database will be opened to the public.

IMO will issue a circular in the near future to inform IMO Member States of the details of the database.