“On July 12’th 2016 the US Coast Guard rejected the use of the MPN test method in type approval testing of ballast water treatment systems.
However, discussions are currently ongoing with US Authorities to find a way for the USCG to accept the MPN method, and we expect a conclusion on these discussions before the end of 2016. If the discussions end with an acceptance of the MPN method we expect to receive USCG type approval for the RayClean ballast water treatment system in Q1 2017. If the discussions do not lead to acceptance of the MPN method we will re-test a modified system during 2017, with an aim to receive USCG type approval in Q1 2018.
On July 12’th 2016, the US Coast Guard (USCG) announced their final decision to reject the MPN method for the verification of the performance of Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS). This means the already completed land based type approval testing of our RayClean ballast water treatment system is not acceptable to the USCG, although it has granted the system IMO, DNV-GL, ClassNK and LR type approvals.
Currently discussions are ongoing with US Authorities with a view to find a solution and a way for the USCG to accept the MPN method. We expect these discussions to be finalized before the end of 2016. If the discussions end with an acceptance of the MPN method, which we consider a likely outcome, we expect this to result in a USCG Type Approval of the RayClean BWTS no later than Q1 2017. If the discussions do not result in a solution within this year we will re-test a modified system with the FDA/CMFDA stain method currently accepted by the USCG, with an aim to receive USCG Type Approval in Q1 2018. In either case we remain fully committed to obtaining USCG Type Approval ASAP.
As communicated earlier this year we have during this summer tested our RayClean BWTS with the FDA/CMFDA stain method at DHI’s landbased test facility in Denmark. Based on these tests we have concluded that the RayClean system can pass this testing, however only by testing the system exclusively in high UV-Transmittance (UV-T) water. High UV-T water is basically clear and transparent water, which is often not the kind of water found in ports around the world. See Table to the right with UV-T examples from which it can be seen that UV-T values below 0,65 are not unusual.
In IMO type approval testing of the RayClean system the so-called MPN method was used to enumerate the viable organisms, and with this method we proved that the RayClean system can handle exceptionally low UV-T values as low as just 33%, which is still today unmatched in the BWTS Industry. The reason why the FDA/CMFDA stain method shows very different results is because this method is unsuited to test the performance of UV treatment. More information on this topic can be found at www.mpnballastwaterfacts.com.
In DESMI we feel great responsibility towards our customers in supplying high quality products that are truly fit for purpose. To us, a BWTS fit for purpose must be capable of treating the ballast water a ship is likely to encounter in worldwide trade, which means the system must be able to handle all salinities, all normal sea water temperatures and UV-T values as low as approx. 40%. For this reason we have, unlike several of our competitors, decided not to re-test the RayClean BWTS only in high UV-T water and obtain a USCG Type Approval with a UV-T limitation that severely impacts the operation and usability of the system. Instead, we keep working together with the US Authorities in order to reach a US acceptance of the MPN method, which is already accepted everywhere else in the world. If that does not fall into place by the end of 2016 we will modify our RayClean BWTS and test it with the FDA/CMFDA stain method in order to receive USCG Type Approval for use in all waters that a vessel can expect to encounter in world-wide trade”.