Page 18: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2017)

BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT

While ship owners will need to consider the best treatment option for their ship, they should understand that there has been very little operational experience with Type Approved sys- tems. It’s probably not safe to assume that a BWTS will work as exactly and as effectively as advertised, and there are likely to be a few surprises when adding new technology tive to the whole industry, but let’s not Management Plans. These will affect the 4. Sample ballast water.

forget the roles played by ports and way they inspect and monitor incoming crews, in addition to the regulations and vessels under the new IMO regulations. The feedback I get is that in 10 minutes treatment hardware. This is a two-way responsibility, since an inspector can determine if the crew is

While ship owners will need to con- vessels routinely call on new and differ- compliant with regulations. Especially sider the best treatment option for their ent ports, there are port-speci? c changes with new regulations, the crew must be ship, they should understand that there ships will need to know about. BW op- trained and able to explain their BW ac- has been very little operational experi- erations will create new duties and pro- tions. If they can document their actions, ence with Type Approved systems. It’s cedures for the crew, the BWMP will not and document they have had training, its probably not safe to assume that a BWTS sit on a shelf, it will be pulled down on “thumbs up”. Inspectors are likely to do will work as exactly and as effectively as average every 3rd or 4th day. random spot checks, and repeat offend- advertised, and there are likely to be a It is also worth noting that PSC can ers will likely be subject to full testing.

few surprises when adding new technol- implement additional requirements for It’s a different day. A knowledgeable ogy (has anyone ever known new tech- their port. and trained crew is a good investment, nology to be seamlessly integrated?). This is not new, it has always been the with a small upfront cost yielding a

When a BWTS with Type Approval is case. In the U.S. for example, the Port signi? cant return. Understanding how

About the Author installed on a ship, it will be operating of Long Beach has different inspection, to complete and maintain ballast water

Bryan Bjorndal is the President and in a different environment than the one monitoring and sampling methods for management plans and documents will

CEO of Assure Controls, and has been under which it was tested. It’s not that BW management than the Port of Se- save time and allow vessel of? cers and actively involved with ballast water they won’t work effectively, it’s just that attle, or ports in the Gulf of Mexico or crew that operate BWTS to get up to management and compliance issues. little is known about how these systems on the Atlantic coast. These ports may speed quickly and be compliant, which

Assure Controls develops products and actually do work. Therefore, the baseline use the same BW forms, but they can results in cost savings. Also, consistent services for ports, ships, and crews to knowledge on which to build upon and protect their waters as they see ? t, with training provides a means to not just re- meet IMO requirements and USCG laws provide guidance is very limited. additions to their compliance, monitor- spond to changing requirements, but to for ballast water compliance. Our goal

Even the BWTS manufacturers need ing and enforcement plans. They may understand them and optimize solutions is to prepare ships and their crews to be hundreds of additional hours and hun- also have different fee structures. When that best meet a vessel and operator’s “discharge ready” on an ongoing basis, dreds of additional installations until a ship visits a port the crew needs to un- speci? c requirements. and to protect against costly mistakes failure mode effects analysis can be derstand their relationship is going to This will be evident in the documenta- or undue delays. available. In the meantime, the crew and change and new, signed regulatory docu- tion, and PSC inspections will then be- http://AssureControls.com of? cer will develop this experience and ments will be required. come routine. Initially, identifying non- expertise on how their system operates, In the control of invasive species, ports compliance will be much easier than and the of? cer signs the log each time and harbors are the “ground zero” of looking for full compliance. I would there is a BW event. Additionally, few of this global plan, and everything planned stress that this is FOREVER…all stake- the currently installed BWTS are actual- thus far comes down to the discharge holders will need to recognize that there ly turned on and operate on a daily basis; of ballast water. As the advance guard are new players, new equipment, new from a population of perhaps 4,500 ships mandated for enforcement, PSC will maintenance, and therefore new costs as- with BWTS, installed, maybe 50 vessels be challenged with thousands of ves- sociated with these new regulations. Ev- turned them on today. sels to regulate. It has been proven at ery vessel will be impacted, every port

Because these systems have little or the world’s top ports which have already will be impacted, as well as thousands of no track record, ballast water manage- implemented their BW regulations and mariners, etc. ment records are going to be carefully procedures, that ships and crew pass in- In a situation of dynamic change where reviewed by PSC, as PSC has a respon- spections more quickly when they have the industry also depends on ? exibility sibility for assessing them. PSC may their documents in order and relevant and low cost, with respect to BW regu- want to inspect the system simply for the crew members can clearly explain their lations, it will be better to control one’s novelty. Crew members will need to un- procedures. destiny and anticipate change, and invest derstand the underlying reason for these Compliance priorities for PSC inspec- in telling their crews this is the future. treatment systems and be aware of their tion are likely to follow the order below, Ports are new partners in a new docu- operation, as these will likely be the ? rst only going on to the next step if the ? rst mented and managed activity. The deci- biological system they have had to deal steps are not met to their satisfaction: sion to prepare for new regulations and with. develop a compliance strategy allows

So, as vessels are choosing their BWTS 1. BWM logs checked vessel owners and operators to most ef- and planning retro? ts, Port of? cials will 2. Discern the knowledge of the fectively manage commercial and tech- be reviewing what local and national of? cer and crew nical risks, and to minimize the impact laws should be included in their BW 3. Inspect the BWTS on ship operations.

18 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MAY 2017

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