As the marine industry progresses towards compliance for ballast water treatment (USCG 33CFR151 and IMO IBWMC Regulation B-3) various challenges posed by different treatment technologies.
In a recent survey with more than 60 ship-operators participating covering 483 BWMS installations on a wide range of vessel types, the following feedback received regarding BWMS operability and overall experience:
When analyzing the survey results, 35% of the 483 BWMS installations were reported as operating regularly, and the remaining systems were either inoperable (6%) or considered problematic in operation (59%). This implies that many vessel operators are trying to get their BWMS fully functional and into operation before the U.S. Coast Guard or IMO compliance deadlines. Key contributing factors that support successful and compliant BWMS operations include:
1. Installation Considerations:
The successful installation on the first vessel in a series is important as the lessons learned will enable a smooth and faster installation process on the sister vessels. Contrary to new builds, retrofitting a BWMS Installation on existing ships can be a challenging process that requires careful planning to allow proper integration into the ships existing water ballast system. The time required for the engineering contractor and class approval turnaround should be considered. To save time, pre-packaged components and some equipment for the BWMS can be pre-manufactured locally, closer to the shipyard. The engineering of the retrofit process should be carefully planned and the installation rehearsed before dry-docking the vessel.
2. Training:
Establishing regular crew training is important to increase their level of understanding and competency for a successful BWMS retrofit operation. The lack of uniformity and effectiveness of training methods is a concern by many ship operators, especially since the BWMS is complex and ship-specific. Some of the current training methods include on-the-job training led by more experienced crew, computer-based training, lectures with visual aids, and training sessions at manufacturers facilities.
3. Commissioning:
The difficulty and importance of completing the BWMS commissioning and initial survey on time should not be underestimated. Many early adopter BWMS installations have not yet been put into operation and continue to suffer frequent outages. These BWMS will require additional technical attendance before being commissioned.
Systems may work during commissioning but fail shortly after leaving the shipyard. More vendor’s attendance and crew participation during commissioning is strongly recommended to minimize the likelihood of early life-cycle failures.
Currently, there are no mandatory requirements for sampling and analysis of treated ballast water during commissioning, and none after the vessel begins operations. This requirement is subject to change during MEPC 74 (May 2019) and other meetings thereafter.
4. Operations:
When planning for BWMS operations, all key stakeholders should be involved in the preparation of the ship specific ballast water management plan (BWMP). The BWMP should be validated and verified by the crew to assure reliable and sustainable operations of the BWMS. The BWMP should be updated to provide the latest information with respect to operation, maintenance, safety and repair instructions for familiarization and be based on the ship-specific configuration of the BWMS.
The information provided by the vendor should be concise and easy for the crew to understand. Any changes or revisions made to the BWMP are to be submitted to class for approval. With a properly prepared and up to date BWMP, operational issues can be resolved or prevented.
5. Maintenance and Repair
Establishing a systematic and regular maintenance schedule/program helps to extend the life cycle of BWMS and equipment, prevents hazardous conditions that could lead to unsafe working conditions for the crew, and can allow continuous operations of the BWMS. In the long run, a properly designed prevention and maintenance plan could help reduce operating costs and unscheduled downtime, avoid costly or unnecessary repair work, and improve optimal readiness for the BWMS equipment. A BWMS maintenance book should be ship-specific and include the manufacturer’s recommended items, frequencies and methods used for maintenance.
Operating and maintenance costs are considered the most difficult expenses to estimate since they vary depending on ship types and sizes, BWMS type, and the level of detail obtained from vendors. When estimating operating and maintenance costs for a BWMS, the following are minimum items to evaluate:
a) Consumables such as chemicals, lamps, filter elements and other spare parts.
b) Crew labor and training required for operation and maintenance of the BWMS.
6. Contingency Measures
Well planned BWM contingency measures allow shipowners, operators and crew to identify, practice and implement the BWM strategy and be prepared for unexpected circumstances (i.e., inoperable BWMS, equipment failures, etc.). This could avoid unnecessary downtime for the vessel (i.e., delay at berths or ports, inability to continue cargo operations, etc.) and help avoid economic and/or commercial impacts.
The BWM methods used should be well understood by the vessel’s crew. These should be incorporated as part of the training program and documented in the ship-specific BWMP to allow proper operation and maintenance of the BWMS. With the increasing number of owners experiencing problematic operations as a result of system design limitations, a considerable amount of time should be spent to review practical and feasible contingency measures.
CONCLUSION:
A significant number of owners are experiencing BWMS problematic operations. The key contributing factors that support successful and compliant BWMS operations are installation considerations, crew training, commissioning, operations, and maintenance and repair. Key insights to support smooth BWMS integration and operation include:
a) The importance of advance planning including creating detailed timelines that anticipate delays to help mitigate cost impacts for BWMS retrofits,
b) Incorporating ship-specific contingency measures into the BWM Plan (BWMP) to avoid in-service downtime and financial penalties,
c) System-specific training for shoreside support and ship crew is critical for effectively operating and maintaining the BWMS,
d) Monitoring data and operational trends to better understand system design limitations (SDL) can help the crew predict the challenges of the vessel’s planned operational routes, and
e) Working with the vendor after-sales global support is important to achieve uninterrupted system operations.
* Director, Business Development, ABS