Viva la VIDA: senate bill brings US ballast water test in line with IMO

Following a bipartisan agreement on language, the USCG Authorization Act with the attached Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) has been passed by the US Senate.

The implications of VIDA are many but essentially brings USCG type-approval methodologies in line with those of IMO. This includes:

• VIDA contains language that allows that organisms that can no longer reproduce after ballast water treatment are not considered ‘living’. In other words, dead now also means unable to reproduce.
• Under VIDA the USCG is required to provide details on how it will test for reproduction in grow-out organisms.
• The USCG must also consider the most probable number (MPN) methodologies for determining the number of organisms in treated ballast water. This reverses an earlier USCG ruling insisting on the alternate ‘vital stain’ method.

The change in language and the passage of VIDA through the Senate is a long-term boost to the whole of the ballast water treatment industry as it opens the door to a wider range of treatment systems from different manufacturers.

One of those is Trojan Marinex, whose spokesperson told Ballast Water Treatment Technology "We are very encouraged with the US Senate's passage of the Bill and look forward to the US House of Representative's passage also. The Bill unequivocally requires the USCG to adopt a reproductive method based on best available science. As many know, the rest of the world through IMO adopted the MPN method as the best available science for a reproductive method in July 2017. We believe this harmonisation is a major step forward for shipowners around the world as it allows for the appropriate and cost-effective use of UV treatment for ballast water management systems."

Ballast water management systems and their operation will be discussed by PureBallast head of customer support Jonas Alvan and De Nora’s global proposals manager Susanna Wyllie at the Tanker Shipping & Trade Conference, Awards & Exhibition, 20-21 November 2018.