Technological advances made in testing for organisms in ballast water
SEA-BIRD Scientific is advancing technology for fast viability assessment of phytoplankton designed for ballast water analysis, following several years of R&D.
This technology could meet a widespread need for rapid assessments on an operational basis by organisations, such as Port State Control (PSC), reports London's Tanker Operator.
Sea-Bird said the technology can enable an accurate assessment an organism's viability to reproduce within minutes, and thus provides a breakthrough improvement in performance in monitoring compliance for the 10 to 50 µm organism class.
"Assessing as organisms' ability to reproduce in ballast water in a manner acceptable to Port State Control is important for regulators and shipowners to help ensure ballast water is being properly treated," said Sea-Bird scientific chief technical officer Andrew Barnard.
Another company, De Nora, a supplier of electrochlorination equipment, has announced that its patented BALPURE ballast water management system (BWMS) is currently progressing through both land-based and shipboard testing for compliance with US Coast Guard (USCG) ballast water management legislation.
Testing and evaluations leading to USCG type approval are being completed under the NSF Independent Laboratory at the Maritime Environmental Resource Centre (MERC) in Baltimore.
IACS member - Korean Register (KR) - has expanded its BWMS land-based test facilities by opening a new specialist laboratory, to mitigate a bottle-neck situation with testing for USCG type approval.
The test facility has been expanded through the addition of three further units, and it now offers a total testing capacity for up to a maximum capacity 500 cubic metres per hour together with four testing slots.
In a related development, a new two-day course has been launched by Warsash Maritime Academy, part of Southampton Solent University, in response to the imminent ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (2004).
Due to start on October 5, the course will ensure that company and organisation officials are better prepared to implement and monitor the convention, the academy said.
SEA-BIRD Scientific is advancing technology for fast viability assessment of phytoplankton designed for ballast water analysis, following several years of R&D.
This technology could meet a widespread need for rapid assessments on an operational basis by organisations, such as Port State Control (PSC), reports London's Tanker Operator.
Sea-Bird said the technology can enable an accurate assessment an organism's viability to reproduce within minutes, and thus provides a breakthrough improvement in performance in monitoring compliance for the 10 to 50 µm organism class.
"Assessing as organisms' ability to reproduce in ballast water in a manner acceptable to Port State Control is important for regulators and shipowners to help ensure ballast water is being properly treated," said Sea-Bird scientific chief technical officer Andrew Barnard.
Another company, De Nora, a supplier of electrochlorination equipment, has announced that its patented BALPURE ballast water management system (BWMS) is currently progressing through both land-based and shipboard testing for compliance with US Coast Guard (USCG) ballast water management legislation.
Testing and evaluations leading to USCG type approval are being completed under the NSF Independent Laboratory at the Maritime Environmental Resource Centre (MERC) in Baltimore.
IACS member - Korean Register (KR) - has expanded its BWMS land-based test facilities by opening a new specialist laboratory, to mitigate a bottle-neck situation with testing for USCG type approval.
The test facility has been expanded through the addition of three further units, and it now offers a total testing capacity for up to a maximum capacity 500 cubic metres per hour together with four testing slots.
In a related development, a new two-day course has been launched by Warsash Maritime Academy, part of Southampton Solent University, in response to the imminent ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (2004).
Due to start on October 5, the course will ensure that company and organisation officials are better prepared to implement and monitor the convention, the academy said.