Opex-neutral ballast water treatment system wins IMO Type Approval

Unique pasteurisation treatment system sails through new tougher type approval process to give shipowners better peace of mind BAWAT, the Danish manufacturer of a unique opex-neutral ballast water treatment system, has been granted IMO Type Approval for its technology that uses only a ship’s own waste heat to kill off invasive species.

Type Approval certification has been issued by Lloyd’s Register on behalf of the Danish Maritime Authority and makes the BAWAT system one of the first to be tested and issued with approval under the new toughened mandatory requirements of the IMO’s BWMS Code, officially known as the “Code for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems.”

“To be one of the first systems to be awarded type approval under these new tougher conditions is a confirmation of the hard work we have put into what is the most sustainable treatment system on the market,” says BAWAT managing director chief Marcus Hummer. “It gives our customers the confidence that we have a product for their future needs.”

BAWAT’s system design is unique in using a vessel’s own waste heat from the main engine or other heat sources to neutralise through pasteurisation any organisms in the ballast water.

“It does not require any chemicals, filters or energy consuming ultra-violet lights” adds Hummer.

By using pasteurisation the BAWAT system can be used to treat ballast water in all water conditions, regardless of salinity, turbidity and temperatures, and has no holding time restrictions. Water is treated in one pass only.

The system is also unique as components such as the heat exchangers and pumps are all standard components found onboard vessels today, and therefor well known to crew.

A third defining difference with the BAWAT system compared with others is the ability to do in-voyage treatment, thus a vessel’s cargo and ballasting operations are not impacted due to slow water treatment.

The simplicity and effectiveness of the BAWAT system have impressed new investors who have backed BAWAT as it prepares to begin installing systems on both newbuilds and retrofits.

Under the IMO’s ballast water convention all vessels need to have a ballast water treatment system onboard to be able to meet what are known as the D2 standards. All newbuilding vessels need to enter service with a system installed and operational, and all existing vessels will in the coming years be required to have systems retrofitted as they have their certificates renewed.

“There are thousands of vessels that will require effective, simple and efficient solutions installed between now and 2024 when the last IMO deadline comes around,” adds Hummer. “For some owners the schedule will be tough and if taken at the last minute, costly. An easy to install, easy to manage, and net-zero energy consuming system is going to make sense”.