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CIC finds ballast water systems driving detentions
Port state control detention data from ballast water Concentrated Inspection Campaign show technical ballast water treatment system (BWTS) deficiencies outweigh paperwork
Port state control (PSC) detentions linked to ballast water management are more likely to stem from the condition and operation of installed ballast water treatment systems than from paperwork alone, according to a summary of findings from last year’s Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on ballast water management.
The shift was set out by BIO-UV Group ballast water treatment project manager and regulatory expert Charlène Ceresola, who said PSC data still showed widespread issues in documentation and record keeping, but that the detentions picture looked different once deficiencies were filtered by severity.
“When you look at the total number of compliance failures, documentation still ranks high,” Ms Ceresola said. “But once you focus specifically on deficiencies serious enough to result in a ship being detained, the majority are associated with the ballast water treatment system itself.”
Ms Ceresola said the ballast water system accounted for 46% of all detainable deficiencies, followed by crew training at 21% and the Ballast Water Management Plan at 15%.
She also pointed to recurring deficiencies reported by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, including poor ballast water record book keeping, inadequate crew training, system unfamiliarity and invalid or missing certificates.
Ms Ceresola noted that the detention data did not necessarily indicate fleetwide equipment failure, but did indicate a pattern in how cases escalated.
“The number does not imply widespread system failure, but it does mean that when an issue escalates to the point of detention, it is very often because the system has been poorly maintained and not performing as it should,” she said.
She added, “Ship managers and crews must start addressing these gaps in system upkeep; it will cost them substantially more than a new UV lamp.”
She also linked detention risk to the practicalities of keeping systems serviceable, saying spare parts availability had become “a decisive factor behind corrective actions”, with some operators struggling to source components for older installations.
“The CIC results have highlighted how quickly minor issues can escalate when systems are poorly maintained or when crews lack the tools or system knowledge,” Ms Ceresola said.
“You cannot fix a neglected system the day before an inspection,” she said, adding, “If you do not have the spare parts, there is no way to catch up overnight.”
On competence and familiarisation, Ms Ceresola said ballast water training remained uneven and was “often not yet treated as a core operational competence”.
She said work was underway at International Maritime Organization level to better integrate ballast water management into standard maritime education and certification frameworks, while adding that, in the interim, responsibility sat with ship management and the need for type-specific training and refreshers.
Ms Ceresola also said the CIC findings had reinforced concern that some manufacturers could be unresponsive on customer service and after-sales requirements, leaving shipowners exposed when inspections identified onboard weaknesses.
“Reliable support, spare-parts availability, and ongoing system training are now critical elements of compliance, not optional extras,” she said.
“More suppliers need to commit to after-sales support. This will ensure system performance remains compliant throughout the system’s life, while refresher familiarisation addresses the realities of crew turnover. This is how PSC detentions are avoided,” she said.
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