A world-first technology that deals with the problem of discharging ballast water in US ports was unveiled at Riviera Maritime Media’s recent webinar Ballast water reception and treatment as a service in US waters
Monstrant Viam chief executive William Burroughs and Bawat chief executive Marcus Hummer revealed their ballast water reception and treatment-as-a-service solution, Freedom Ballast.
Shipowners and operators headed to US Gulf of Mexico ports with out-of-commission or unavailable BWMS, with expired AMS periods or vessels beyond USCG compliance dates, can now be compliant with US regulations by discharging ballast water into approved reception facilities.
Mr Hummer told delegates, “The key takeaway is that this is a world-first combined technology.”
Bawat is a Danish company with a sole focus on bringing ballast water technologies to market, while US company Monstrant Viam was founded in 2021 to develop ballast water reception and treatment-as-a-service for US ports. The two companies joined forces to develop Freedom Ballast.
The growing need for ballast water treatment and reception in US ports, Mr Burroughs said, includes regulatory challenges, from expiring five-year AMS periods that require expensive midlife retrofits, to aggressive USCG regulations and increasing USCG port state control inspections.
Mr Burroughs added, “A large number of tankers are not yet retrofitted with BWMS. It seems impossible that all these retrofits will be achieved by the deadline of 8 September 2024.”
Technical challenges include the performance of 2008 G8 type-approved systems (some are no longer serviceable), hazards associated with some BWMS, chronic discharges of active substances and ineffective chlorine neutralisation.
Mr Hummer unveiled three solutions: ballast water treatment and reception at anchorage, on the terminal or quayside and shoreside.
Mr Burroughs said, “The solution is that we are going to combine technologies. This was not an easy thing to think about, but it is the best for energy efficiency and treatment efficiency. The majority of water will run through a commercial UV-based filtration.”
This will go overboard, and the filter reject will be collected, concentrated and run through a Bawat unit and then discarded overboard. This unit will disinfect the silt, sludge and sediment.
Benefits include: no filter clogging; no filter-cake disposal; a high-volume rate; proven technology; no chemicals; no hold time and a deballast or ballast mode.
There are two options: a mobile barge or quayside unit, with multiple units for increased flow, or a single mobile unit (a 40-ft container).
The introduction capacity includes 2 x 1,000 m3/h (UV + Bawat) and 1 x 300 m3/h (Bawat). 1 x 200 m3/h (Bawat) is available now to service the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr Hummer said, “It is really interesting combining the technologies with UV and the Bayat unit and we have patented it, as this is the way forward with land-based technology.
Right now, they are working on finalising the design and procurement and actively speaking to customers.
Mr Burroughs said, “Over the summer and autumn we will do installations and operator training and our starting aim is the Mississippi river ports service, then we will look towards the Houston ship canal early next year and then build up capacity in Louisiana and Texas ports, then other places in the US.”
Summing up the key takeaways, Mr Hummer said, “Besides technology, my key takeaway is that we are providing support to you so that your business can continue and that is part of our offering.”
Mr Burroughs added, “We were founded specially to help fix a problem that won’t go away… we would like to see more people use these facilities, it is safer for the environment and there is less port state control headache – let us take on that headache for you, in the Gulf of Mexico.”
Poll questions
In a series of poll questions, webinar attendees were asked, recalling your fleet acquisitions – were you satisfied with the decision making for the BWMS selection (either newbuild or retrofit)? 40% were very satisfied in the 7-8/10 range. But 60% said it was ok but could have gone better in the 5-6/10 range.
Asked, do you have plans for your fleet for post-USCG extensions when your vessels must be fitted by 8 September 2024? 32% said yes but the majority (68%) said no.
Asked, what are your plans for expired five-year AMS periods for your vessels in US ports? 19% voted for replace the AMS with a new USCG TAC BWMS (most expensive), 48% plumped for upgrade the existing AMS to USCG configuration with same maker/model (reduced cost impact), 14% agreed with upgrade the existing AMS to USCG configuration with a different maker/model (likely the highest cost impact) and 19% agreed with avoid US discharges altogether (loss of charter opportunities).
Asked, do you consider Gulf of Mexico BWE (inside 200 NM) to be viable for your vessel operations heading to Mississippi River or Houston Ship Channel ports? 63% said yes and 37% said no.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.