Ballast Water Treatment System Compliance Challenges and Solutions for Ship Operators

Over 30% of ballast water treatment systems fail Port State Control D-2 compliance inspections, despite passing commissioning tests. Global TestNet data presented to the International Maritime Organization revealed that 29% to 44% of operational systems are failing to remove invasive species, with over 100 organisms of a certain size found in every 1m3 of treated water. The D-2 standard of the BWM Convention requires ships to discharge ballast water with fewer than 10 viable organisms per 1m3.

The most common reasons for non-compliance include contamination of ballast water tanks, organism regrowth, and human error due to insufficient system knowledge. Even vessels with type-approved systems may not consistently meet discharge standards. The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State control reported deficiencies related to record-keeping, crew training, system familiarity, and certification. In 2023, 760 deficiencies were related to record-keeping and administration, resulting in 33 ship detentions.

BIO-UV Group advises ship operators to refer to updated guidelines on ballast water record-keeping and reporting to avoid delays and detentions. Maintenance and crew training are crucial areas where ships can be detained. The IMO’s Convention Review Plan aims to address priority issues identified in MEPC80, with amendments expected to be completed by 2026. The focus areas include BTWS maintenance, crew training, and addressing challenging water conditions to prevent harmful organisms from being discharged into the oceans.

Source