INTERTANKO (the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners) initiated a survey covering occurrences from 1 July 2019 to 5 April 2021 identifying port waters that challenged the efficacy of a ship’s ballast water management system (BWMS).
Of the 91 reports received from their members, 59 ports were identified with water conditions that can affect the effectiveness of BWMSs with 13 ports having two or more incidents related to BWMS operating at sub-optimal levels:
- Thames, UK (9 reports)
- Haldia, India (8 reports)
- Map Ta Phut, Thailand (4 reports)
- Zhoushan, China (4 reports)
- Rouen, France (3 reports)
- Gulei, China (3 reports)
- Chiba, Japan (2 reports)
- Hamburg, Germany (2 reports)
- Immingham, UK (2 reports)
- Porvoo, Finland (2 reports)
- San Lorenzo, Argentina (2 reports)
- Tokuyama, Japan (2 reports)
- Tranmere, UK (2 reports)
Most issues were primarily in ports with heavy sedimentation, which either caused filter block or reduced transmission of UV, causing the system to fail or requiring bypassing the system to complete the ballasting operation.
According to the report, “other findings are :
- There were 36 occurrences where BWMS failed and 24 occurrences of BWMS operating at reduced treatment rate at the 60 ports;
- The BWMS needed to be bypassed on 69 occasions due to physical limits/ failure. It was necessary to bypass the BWMS on 13 occasions due to system design limitation (SDL) exceedance; and
- Although most of the occurrences did not result in operational delays, there was one incident that resulted in the ship being delayed for close to two hours.”
To learn more, go to the Intertanko report: ports identified with challenging port waters affecting the effectiveness of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS)
Ship type, as well as size and the vessel’s operational area, affect the BWMS decision. A Choice Ballast Solution feasibility study will assist Shipowners to understand the impact of the BWMS on their crew, how the system will integrate with the vessel’s operations and controls as well as researching water conditions of a vessel’s trade route for optimum BWMS efficacy. For more information contact Richard Mueller.