USCG ballast water management systems type-approval update

In October 2023, the US Coast Guard (USCG) granted type-approval to two ballast water treatment systems.

On 19 October 2023, the USCG granted its 52nd type-approval to South Korea’s Samkun Century’s ARA Plus+ having been tested by class society Korean Register’s independent laboratory, The system was given the operational limitations of: temperature: -2ºC – 50ºC, hold time: > 48 hours and UV dose: > 270 mJ/cm2

The USCG also granted type-approval for ARA Plus+ EX for installation in hazardous locations on foreign-flagged vessels (non-US).

On 26 October 2023, the USCG granted its 53rd type approval to South Korea’s Hanla IMS’ EcoGuardian NF BWMS, also having been tested by the class society Korean Register’s independent laboratory. The system was given the operational limitations of: salinity: not applicable (ECU feed condition: > 10PSU), temperature: not applicable (ECU feed condition: > 10ºC), hold time: > 72 hours in marine (salt) water, > 20 hours in brackish or freshwater, TRO range (ballasting): 6 – 10 mg/L as Cl2, and target TRO dose: 8 – 9 mg/L as Cl2 (ballasting), < 0.1 mg/L as Cl2 (de-ballasting).

The USCG also granted type approval for two versions of the BWMS for installation in hazardous locations on foreign-flagged vessels.