some types of systems. However, this could be gently disregarded as one of the many advantages of horizon scanning and early anticipation of market requirements.
The device developer is also fighting to bring technology to market through a series of regulatory steps which vary in duration depending on the mechanisms the different technologies use to kill marine life. The consequences to the BWTS developer of whether a BWTS is classed as using active substances (G9) or not (G8) is crucial as the use of active substances require additional steps of testing before the system can be validated. Any delays in the route to market are vital as it is widely recognised that the timing of the BWM convention means that by far the greatest sales opportunity for BWTS will be in the next two years.
It seems that some BWTS developers will become victims of a young industry that is still finding its feet in terms of robust and fair pre-market safety checks. These, if properly implemented, are considered a valuable step to ensure that these new technologies are not detrimental to the very environment the systems are designed to protect. Contrastingly, those developers that make it through the pre-market evaluation and are positioned with validated systems capable of serving the VLCC market are set for substantial rewards as there are very few systems that will suit this niche.
The Regulator
Regulation of the Ballast Water Convention falls to the Port State Authorities of each nation which is the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in the case of the U.K. This makes sense in that the convention serves to protect the home waters of the Port State. The regulator’s problems centre on the lack of practical methods and tools with which to enforce the Convention.
There are considerable challenges associated with sampling ballast water tanks in a fashion that ensures that a valid sample is taken for analysis that actually represents the tank as whole. The regulator’s problems don’t stop there. Actually detecting the low numbers of bacteria required by the ballast water convention regulation is also not trivial, and currently there are no in-situ tests that analyse all the fractions of marine life that are regulated by the Ballast Water Convention. There are, however, complex and time-consuming analyses that suit the regulations but which require specialised laboratories.
It is probably fair to say that efficiently enforcing the Ballast Water Convention in an accurate and replicable way is currently not possible, making the regulator’s job very difficult. To protect the marine environment, the Ballast Water Convention policing technology needs to keep pace with this rapidly moving industry to ensure that compliance is upheld and that the BWTS, that ship owners have invested in, are operated correctly.
ENVIRONMENT INDUSTRY MAGAZINE |69|
Conclusion Ballast water management of some kind is a requirement if the threat from marine invasive species altering the ecological status of the environment is to be reduced. BWTS provide one solution to this problem, although in a new and emerging industry, lessons are still being learned which are affecting diverse sections of the shipping industry.
It is clear that as in any situation, clear and impartial information on technology performance makes for informed decisions and reduces financial risk. It is also clear that in order for the environment to benefit in full effect from the Ballast Water Convention, rapid technology development is required to ensure that the convention can be effectively policed and enforced.
It is hoped that as the industry matures, steps can be taken to make life easier for the many faces involved in ballast water treatment, which will ultimately ensure that we all use and enjoy healthy seas.
Typical scenario of thousands of tonnes of ballast water being discharged from a bulk carrier during loading of cargo. Credit:Bjeayes/Dreamstime
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