Maritec: Commission testing is BWMS insurance

(Posted on 11/03/21)

While rules covering commission testing for newbuild ballast water system installations are due to enter into force in June 2022, independent testing facility Maritec believes shipowners should not be reluctant in carrying out further testing of a system they consider to have already passed stringent tests during the type-approval process.

Maritec Laboratories Pte Ltd was incorporated in 1999 as a marine fuel laboratory providing analysis results and technical advice to a portfolio of international shipping companies.

Michael Haraldsson, Global Business Development Manager, Maritec, said that commission and compliance testing “essentially provides shipowners with a very effective insurance policy” for the ballast water treatment system, potentially averting lengthy legal issues.

“All installed systems should be regularly tested, but especially after commissioning,” he said. “A type-approved system works in principle, but in a real-time operational environment it can be a very different story altogether.

“If a system fails immediately after installation but before delivery, then the yard or the manufacturer has to fix it. But if the owner does nothing and the system fails after accepting the vessel, then there could be a lengthy legal battle.”

He said: “Port state control inspectors could start targeting newly installed ballast water treatment systems to check for compliance at the first port of call after leaving the shipyard. This will probably be very common in the future.”

Haraldsson added: “If you have spent a million dollars or more on equipment and installation, an extra few thousand dollars on testing before the ship leaves drydock is a very wise investment. Frequent testing can avoid any operational performance problems, which, if go unchecked, can result in costly delays, fines and environmental damage down the line.”

Gavin Gao, Technical Director, Maritec, said: “It is very important that testing and sampling procedures are performed correctly and according to IMO and US VGP requirements.

“If an owner wants to operate a system compliant with VGP-2013, for example, the installed BWMS needs to be tested twice in the first year and then once every 12 months.

“The Convention requirements are very strict,” he said. “We are seeing retrofitted vessels with new systems failing because ballast tanks have not been efficiently cleaned or because valves have been incorrectly fitted. And if you have more than one 50µm organism in every 100 litres of treated water you will fail inspection.”

Singapore-headquartered Maritec, which offers both indicative and detailed ballast water testing services, has facilities at key shipbuilding hubs in China, where most ballast water installations take place, and is scheduled to cut ribbon on a new centre in Singapore later this year.

The maritime industry-focussed testing facility is capable of providing testing, analysis and certification services for marine fuel and lubricants, ships’ waste streams and hazardous materials, including asbestos.

Latest News

Rollout of CMT test kits increase as bulk shipmanagers look to reduce costs

CM Technologies (CMT) has supplied its integrated onboard fuel/oil testing and analysis kits to a fleet... Read more

Superior’s TeleStacker conveyor evolution continues to improve plant and port performance

Superior Industries, Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing... Read more

Repositioned for the Future: NDE Readymix’s E-Crane Transformation

NDE Readymix Concrete Ltd., established in 2009, is the largest non-cement ready-mix concrete producer... Read more

Hazira Port crane success for Steelpaint’s new Stelcatec-L repair coat solution

German corrosion protection specialist Steelpaint has successfully completed a technical field trial... Read more

Veson Platform a new foundation for maritime trade

Veson Nautical has announced the Veson Platform, a unified, AI-powered experience that brings together... Read more

ABB to acquire Høglund to expand marine automation offering

ABB has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire marine automation specialist Hø... Read more

NAVTOR sets new standards with Digital Logbook ‘industry firsts’

NAVTOR has unveiled the latest iteration of its Digital Logbooks offering, featuring the industry&rsquo... Read more

Industry warned battery fire awareness must catch up with changing onboard risks

The maritime industry is facing a rapidly changing fire risk on board vessels as electric vehicles and... Read more

Smart Ship Hub launches one of industry's lowest-cost vessel data loggers

Smart Ship Hub (SSH), the maritime intelligence and data collection platform, has launched one of the... Read more

75 Years young: Verstegen celebrates three quarters of a century of excellence

World leading manufacturer of rope operated mechanical grabs for the dry bulk industry, Verstegen Grijpers... Read more