USCG BWTS Type Approvals - The Rush Begins

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has confirmed that Norwegian ballast water treatment (BWT) manufacturer Optimarin has become the first supplier to submit an application for US type approval.

John Mauger, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center (MSC), described the move as “a milestone” in the fight to protect marine biodiversity in US waters.

Optimarin’s application was submitted this week by DNV GL after its Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) satisfied the USCG’s stringent testing criteria for fresh, brackish and marine water.

MSC has claimed that it will review and reply to submittals within 30 days, after which successful suppliers will receive their approval certification.

In a statement from MSC, Mauger hailed the development, commenting: “The receipt of the first application for a Coast Guard type-approved ballast water management system represents an important milestone for the future of protecting our nation’s waterways from the spread of invasive species.”

Optimarin CEO, Tore Andersen, responded: “We have invested a huge amount of time and money in developing a reliable, simple, effective, environmentally friendly and powerful BWT system. This final step towards approval is reward for that, positioning us at the forefront of the market for any shipowner that wants the ultimate in compliance, fleet flexibility and proven BWT success.

“We believe we’re now the clear choice within our chosen segments and are delighted to be acknowledged by USCG as a key player in the fight against this pressing environmental problem,” he said.

Optimarin has received orders for around 500 OBS systems, which use a combination of filtration and powerful 35 kW UV lamps to treat ballast water without the need for chemicals. Of these, 280 have been installed worldwide, with close to 100 retrofits, fitted in tandem with global engineering partners Goltens and Zeppelin.

As well as satisfying all IMO and USCG requirements, OBS is certified by a range of class societies, including DNV GL, LR, BV, MLIT Japan and ABS.

Meanwhile, Alfa Laval has also filed its type approval application with the USCG for its PureBallast 3 family.

This follows the successful completion of land-based tests with marine, brackish and fresh water – all using the current BWTS design. A test report package for PureBallast has now been finalised by the independent lab DNV GL.  

As expected, the company completed all tests of PureBallast during the summer of this year. These were performed using the CMFDA/FDA (staining) method approved by the USCG and were conducted at DHI in Denmark.

It is significant to note that the testing involved the same hardware, power consumption and flow as the already IMO-approved version of the PureBallast 3 family, the company said.

“We were confident that PureBallast would deliver high-performance results without any change to its components or system design,” said Anders Lindmark, General Manager, Business Centre, PureBallast. “Test results have now been submitted and they conclusively demonstrate that PureBallast provides reliable biological disinfection at full flow in all water salinities. The system has also met the rigorous mechanical and electrical testing verification schemes required by the USCG and IMO.”

Meanwhile, Alfa Laval said that it continued to support the efforts to validate the ‘Most Probable Number’ (MPN) method, which the company sees as a preferable alternative to the CMFDA/FDA method for UV treatment systems.

Alfa Laval’s decision to proceed with CMFDA/FDA testing was based on the importance of providing customers discharging in US waters with a type-approved solution as quickly as possible.

***ABS has updated its ‘Guide for Ballast Water Treatment’ .

“As vessel owners and operators prepare for the implementation of the recently ratified IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, they need guidance from a trusted advisor like ABS. Our team of technical specialists is ready to assist them with addressing this compliance in support of their unique operational challenges,” said ABS Executive Vice President for Global Marine, Kirsi Tikka. “The update to the Guide comes just as industry is addressing the technical challenges brought about by this Convention.”

In addition to providing guidance on the new IMO requirements, the latest revision includes changes that:
• Clarify requirements for hazardous area installations and safety practices.
• Recognise USCG Type Approvals.
• Delineate additional verification requirements for administration type approval certification.