NORWAY'S Optimarin, now on the brink of full US Coast Guard (USCG) approval as the only UV ballast water treatment system to have satisfied the its marine water FDA/CMFDA tests so far, the company claims.
"In a statement released on 14 December, USCG said that it had informed a group of UV system manufacturers that it would not accept the Most Probable Number (MPN) testing method in its approval process," said the Optimarin statement.
The MPN methodology evaluates organisms on the basis of ‘viable/unviable - with most UV systems depositing ‘unviable" organisms back into the water - meaning they are still alive but cannot reproduce.
But USCG is insisting that its FDA/CMFDA test, which judges life forms as ‘living/dead" must be the standard for approval. This approval is imperative for any shipowner that wants to discharge ballast in US waters after January 1.
"This is a clear indication to the industry that USCG wants absolute certainty with regard to standards - they do not want living organisms deposited in their territory," said Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen.
"MPN is acceptable for IMO, but that won’t be any consolation to shipowners with global fleets that want the flexibility of sailing in and out of US waters," he said.
"USCG is currently accepting Alternate Management Systems (AMS), whereby vessels with systems already approved by another flag state can discharge ballast in US waters, but these will only be accepted for a period of five years after the vessel’s compliance date," he said.
WORLD SHIPPING
24 December 2015 - 23:16
USCG's position on ballast water gives Optimarin treatment a 'full pass'
NORWAY'S Optimarin, now on the brink of full US Coast Guard (USCG) approval as the only UV ballast water treatment system to have satisfied the its marine water FDA/CMFDA tests so far, the company claims.
WORLD SHIPPING
24 December 2015 - 23:16
USCG’s position on ballast water gives Optimarin treatment a 'full pass'
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