THE EMERGENCY OF RESEARCH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BEST WATER WASTE MANANGENT IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY OF

THE WORLD

Dr. Cristina Steliana Mihailovici1

Abstract

In a world of continue business development in all the industries and domains we assist in the

last years at a disastrous impact of ours actions that put the economic results in front of the protection

and respect of the natural environment.

The maritime and offshore industry is focused more in how more profit can obtain, that how to

invest in the protections against the pollution of the seas and oceans of the World. Millions maritime

transports with a variety cargo bulk transported in tanks or containers, millions of TEUs in one day.

I am economist and I have a doctorate in nautical engineering – INCOTERMS 2010. I know well

from analysis that the scope of one maritime transport is the economical profit, it’s true. But what about

the ballast water of every maritime transport, what about her disastrous effects on the waters World?

When I was children I was a fighter against the pollution of the seas. I wanted to become a researcher in

biology marine and I never abandoned the protection of the seas and of the peoples that working on the

sea. We all depend for the source of water. We are made from a big percent of water. Water is life. We

must to stop a second to analyse the financial profit and to compare with the catastrophically impacts on

the maritime environment.

The devastating consequences not hesitate to appear: invasive species, marine life is dying and

the whole marine ecosystem is seriously affected. The last statistics show us that the rate of bio-

invasions is continuing to increase and new areas are being invaded all the time. Let’s put the red code

of emergency against the pollution of our lives!

Key Words: ballast water management, pollution, treatment methods, IMO, Polar Code, risk,

maritime safety

1. Introduction

We all know that Water is life and represents the large habitat in the World. In the last years we

assist at a huge negative impact of the maritime industry in all marine environment of the World.

1 cristina_mihailovici@yahoo.es , https://uk.linkedin.com/in/cristina-steliana-mihailovici-54955320

Natural barriers, changes in natural temperature, and salinity, balance drastically change in the

last years, since million years.

Invasions, infiltrations, toxic algae,

jellyfish and many others factors and facts– all

this represents a natural catastrophe that is

destroying the ecosystem. Atlantic Ocean,

Caspian Sea, Black Sea … and step by step all

the water of our Planet.

Water tanks with millions bacteria’s

which discharge the water in the natural

environment.

But what are the consequences?

Source 1:“Jellyfish in the Black Sea”, Cristina Steliana Mihailovici

The pollution of the water, the “alien invader” affects all economy of the World. The fishes are

dying affecting the fishing industry, the climate change affecting all the evolution of the marine biological

environment which tends to be the worst of the last decency.

No time to lose! How we can control, help and improve the Ballast Water Management?

2. Ballast Water Management

What is the ballast water, but the ballast voyage? Water is travelling from port to port: is taken on

at one port when cargo is unloaded and discharged at another port when the ship receives cargo. Ballast

voyage is the ballast water used during the voyage to provide stability and manoeuvrability.

Every maritime transport have on board ballast water, a potential factor for introduction of non-

native organisms - called bio-invaders, alien species, non-indigenous species or exotic species - into the

port of discharge.

Exists a number of methods to prevent and treat the ballast water. In this moment no single

ballast water management method has been able to clean and remove all organisms from ballast tanks.

A solution could be a combination of different methods of ballast water management.

The researchers investigate all possible efficient methods: different ships – different solutions.

2.1. Ballast Water Treatment Technology and methods

The Nature ask day by day more effective solution to treatment of ballast water, more

secure environment, more implications from all of us.

Ballast water treatment options is influenced by a number of general factors, like: cost,

enforcement, the effectiveness of the method, and the risks the treatment may pose to human

health and the environment.2

Many treatment methods require that ships be equipped with the necessary techniques

and systems or that new ships have this special equipment included in their design. Any

treatment method should provide efficient results that can be monitored by port authorities and

experts.

2.1.1. The Ballast Water ExchangeThis method is efficiently and effective because organisms from coastal waters are

unlikely to survive in the ocean.

The advantages to ballast tank exchange are multiples:

Because it is done while the ship is en route, relatively little time is lost during the

voyage.

No additional equipment or operator training is needed for ballast exchange so the

capital costs are low and it is a simple process to implement.

Enforcement of ballast exchange laws can occur to some degree because open ocean

waters have higher salinity levels than coastal waters and this difference can be

detected by port authorities.

By the other side, exist different negative points, like:

the tank can not be readily removed because organisms stuck to the sides of the tank or

structural supports;

difficulty to completely remove sediments and residual water from the bottom of ballast

tanks;

it is unsafe for a ship to exchange ballast water during stormy or rough seas, because

organisms could remain inside the ballast tanks and may be discharged at a later time

into ports and harbours, in case the exchange fails to remove all organisms.

Like any method or technique, the effectiveness of ballast water exchange could be

improved by redesigning ballast tanks and pumping systems. Currently, most ballast tanks have

one pipe that pumps water in both directions, but not at the same time.

The researchers conclude that with the addition of another pipe, ballast exchange could

be achieved by continual flushing of the tank with one pipe bringing water into the tank and

another pipe allowing water to exit the tank. This would be a safer means of exchanging ballast

because the tanks would contain water at all times. Remove the residual water and sediments

from the bottom of ballast tanks represents another option of improving current ballast tank

flushing . Pumps, which are relatively inexpensive, could be installed in the bottom of ballast

2 The cost of a treatment method represents a sum of many costs: the expense of the equipment, the crew needed to

operate the treatment equipment, and the time needed for the treatment operation.

tanks to remove these residual materials, reducing the risk of introducing a non-native species;

ballast tanks could be redesigned with a sloping bottom or other structure that could allow

sediment and water to drain into a pump.

2.1.2. Mechanical methodsThe mechanical methods can be the filtration, the re-ballasting, the dilution and the

cyclonic separation, among others.

The filtration, for example, makes it possible to eliminate big particles as macroscopic algae,

but it doesn’t prevent from loading small organisms. Wastes would be left in the ballast intake

area, but the necessary cost for this infrastructure could be very high.

Re-ballasting consist of doing the change of ballast water in deep waters, with 2000 meters

or more sounding line, but it avoids the superficial water, the dredging areas and the places

where there are illness or plankton outbreaks.

Dilution caused by overflowing has to be done on the high sea; through the entry of water

with the ballast pump and then we allow it overflows by the deck, at least a third of tank total

volume. This method entails the risk of organisms wouldn’t be entirely expelled.

2.1.3. Physical methodsThe physical methods include the water treatment with ultraviolet radiation, heat

treatment, ultrasonic treatment or water treatment with ions generated electronically.

The effect of the water treatment with ultraviolet radiation changes, it depends on the kind of

organisms, because some of them are very resistant to UV radiation; it could be a very

effective method if it were combined with the filtration. It has not toxic or damaging side

effects for pipes, pumps or coating.

The heat treatment involves rising the ballast water temperature above 40º C for 8 minutes,

since these conditions are lethal to practically all the organisms. Reaching this temperature

depends on there being heating sources on board in order to treat the ballast water during

the crossing.

The ultrasonic treatment for liquids uses high frequency energy to cause a vibration in the

liquid. When the liquid is exposed to these vibrations, it causes cavitation (formation,

expansion and implosion of microscopic gas bubbles in the liquid). As the ultrasonic energy

goes into the liquid, the gas bubbles grown until they have a critical size and they implode. If

the cavitation is sufficiently intense, it will break the cytoplasmic membranes.

The electrolytic generation of metallic ions, specifically copper and silver ions, has, in

principle, a highly effectiveness to sterilize the water, but some organisms can increase their

tolerance to high concentrations of copper and silver, so this turns the utilization of this

method into a useless issue. Furthermore, the concentrations of these elements in the water

could cause adverse environmental consequences. The application of this system has yet

been rejected some time ago.

2.1.4 Chemical methodsChemical treatments, like, for example, chlorine, are refused for use, because water treated by

this way keep certain biocide characteristics that could affect later other species.

Throughout time, mechanical methods as well as physical, chemical and biological ones have

been considered, in order to solve the potentials problems of biological pollution, which could be

caused by ballast water.

Chemical biocides may be used to treat ballast water and prevent the introduction of non-native

species. The specific type of biocide must be chosen very carefully to avoid harming humans or

the environment. Biocides are usually shipped and stored in the form of a concentrated solid or

liquid, so they can easily be stored onboard a ship. The machines for applying biocides are

reliable and need little maintenance, but their size may be a limitation when installing them

aboard ships. A major concern with the use of biocides is the safety of the crew members who

handle the chemicals. Because other dangerous chemicals that are used for lubricants and

other functions on the ship must also be handled, training the crew to safely use biocides should

be relatively simple. Another concern is whether residual biocides have the potential of corroding

ballast tanks, pipes, pumps, and other structures. Some of the biocides that have been studied

for ballast water treatment are discussed below. Two general types of biocides exist: oxidizing

and non-oxidizing. Oxidizing biocides include chlorine, bromine, and iodine. These chemicals

act by destroying cell membranes which leads to cell death. Chlorine is commonly used to treat

municipal drinking water, but recent studies suggest that it may not be as safe to humans as

once thought. There is also a possibility that oxidizing biocides may react with sea water to form

toxic chemicals. Because of these reasons, it may not be safe to release water treated with

oxidizing biocides into the environment. Ozone is an oxidizing biocide that has been used to

disinfect water supplies since the late 1800’s.

Ballast water is treated as it flows through a device that bubbles ozone gas into the water. Most

of this gas dissolves into the water, decomposes and reacts with other chemicals in the ballast

water to kill organisms. Ozone gas is toxic to humans and contributes to smog in the lower

atmosphere, so any ozone that does not dissolve must be destroyed before it is released into the

atmosphere. Ozone is especially effective at killing microscopic organisms, but is not as effective

at eliminating larger organisms. Combining ozone with a treatment method that successfully

eliminates larger organisms would be more effective than using ozone as a solitary treatment.

For all of the ballast water treatment methods investigated, there is the potential to

reduce risks through appropriate training and safety procedures.

For some of the methods, safety features have already been considered and are in place. If the

treatment systems are installed on new ships additional safety features could be considered

during ship design.

3. Ballast water conventions and regulations

In the last years the laws regarding ballast water treatment are more and more strictly. This is

because many of treatment methods work by killing the organisms in ballast water, the method itself may

pose a risk to human health or to the environment if the treatment is not properly contained in the ballast

tanks.

How can be improves the environment of maritime safety in this conditions?

IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee3 receive from many years different cases and

different situations of pollution of marine water. In the last

decades the expanded trade and traffic volume continue to

increase, so the problem of invasive species in ships’

ballast water is bigger day by day. The effects in many

areas of the world have been devastating. Quantitative data

show that the rate of bio-invasions is continuing to increase

at an alarming rate and new areas are being invaded all the

time. Source 2: Black Sea, Cristina Steliana Mihailovici

We must to prevent the transfer of invasive species and coordinate an effective response to

invasions. This require cooperation and collaboration among governments, economic sectors, non-

governmental organizations and international treaty organizations.

One of the powerful conventions is the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea4 which provides

the global framework. This convention is requiring States to work together to prevent, to reduce and to

control pollution of the marine environment.

IMO has been at the front of the international effort by taking the lead in addressing the transfer of

invasive aquatic species (IAS) through shipping.

On 13 February 2004, after more than 14 years of complex negotiations between IMO Member

States, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments5 was adopted by consensus at a Diplomatic Conference held at IMO Headquarters in London.

“Our duty to our children and their children cannot be over-stated. I am sure we would all wish

them to inherit a world with clean, productive, safe and secure seas – and the outcome of this

Conference, by staving off an increasingly serious threat, will be essential to ensuring this is so”, affirmed

on Conference the Secretary-General of IMO.

This Convention require all ships to implement a Ballast Water Management Plan.

3 MPEC

4 Article 196

5 BWM Convention

Exist the option to take additional measures which are subject to criteria set out in the Convention

and to IMO guidelines, but its a must that all ships will have to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and will

be required to carry out ballast water management procedures to a given standard. In April

2004, MEPC approved a programme for the development of guidelines and procedures for uniform

implementation of the BWM Convention, listed in

Conference resolution 1, including additional

guidance required but not listed in the resolution.

In July 2005, the programme was further

expanded to develop and adopt 14 sets of

Guidelines, the last one being adopted by

resolution MEPC.173(58) in October 2008. The

Guidelines and other relevant guidance

documents can be found on IMO website.

Source 3: Maritime&Coastguard Agency 2016 / gov.uk

During the Convention development process, considerable efforts were made to formulate

appropriate standards for ballast water management: the ballast water exchange standard and the ballast

water performance standard. Ships performing ballast water exchange shall do so with an efficiency of 95

per cent volumetric exchange of ballast water and ships using a ballast water management system

(BWMS) shall meet a performance standard based on agreed numbers of organisms per unit of volume.

The GESAMP Ballast Water Working Group6, a technical group of experts, reports to the

Organization proposal or significant risks in accordance with the criteria specified in the Procedure for

approval of ballast water management systems that make use of Active Substances.

The Convention was signed by 30 states, representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping

tonnage and the approval and certification of modern ballast water treatment technologies have removed

the major barriers to the ratification of the instrument and a number of additional countries have indicated

their intention to accede to this Convention in the near future.

4. Polar Code and the ballast water management

In the last years the Arctic Ocean require more and more attention regarding marine safety and

environment protection.

This emergency is on the way to be solved from May 2015, when International Maritime

Organization (IMO) initiates the implementation phase for the Polar Code.

The Polar Code establishes binding or mandatory international standards for new and existing

commercial carriers and passenger ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters. The Code covers ship

structural standards ; required marine safety equipment ; training and experience standards for the ship

6 GESAMP-BWWG

officers and crew ; and environmental rules regarding oil, noxious liquids, sewage and garbage. All

maritime states will have the challenge of implementing the Polar Code in their national legal systems by

1 January 2017.

Source 4: World Maritime News Staff, Infographic: IMO

During the Code’s implementation phase the Arctic states share the challenge and responsibility

of showing strong leadership and articulating to a global community the importance and immediacy of

international safety and environmental rules for polar ships.

The Polar waters asked many requirements that must be very strong respected and protected,

like:

control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk, prohibiting any discharge into the sea of

noxious liquid substances, or mixtures containing such substances;

prevention of pollution by oil, including discharge restrictions prohibiting any discharge into the

sea of oil or oily mixtures from any ship, as well as structural requirements including protective

location of fuel-oil and cargo tanks;

prevention of pollution by garbage from ships, adding additional restrictions to the permitted

discharges.7Only certain cargo residues, classified as not harmful to the marine environment, can

be discharged.

7 food wastes shall not be discharged onto the ice and discharge into the sea of comminuted; ground food wastes is only

permitted under specific circumstances including at a not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land, ice-shelf or fast ice

The Polar Code represents a set of amendments to two existing IMO safety and environmental

protection instruments - the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the

International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) - to adapt and enhance

ship systems for operations in both Arctic and Antarctic waters.

The IMO is seeking to create a uniform, non-discriminatory set of rules and regulations that will

result in a level playing field for all marine operators.

It's sure that starting with 1 January 2017 to dump oily waste, oil or noxious materials into Arctic

or Antarctic waters, it will be illegal.

But what about the use of heavy fuel oil by ships travelling in Arctic waters? What about the ships

permitted to sail in the Arctic, many of them non-ice-class ships?

Are sufficient all rules adopted with this version of Polar Code? Could this implementation solve

all pollution problems in Polar Area?

One of the existing environmental groups, “Friends of the Earth”, that has been monitoring the

Polar Code process, asked attention to IMO for some omissions in the new standards, like failure to

restrict discharges of grey-water and failure to address underwater noise or prevention of invasive

specie's introduction.

Polar Code is a huge IMO project of several years in elaborating and implementing and is a

complex process. In my opinion, it represents a principal subject for debate during next years, for experts

and scientists, to research and improve by finding new solutions to new problems meet in maritime safety

and environment protection in Polar waters.

5. Conclusions

"The vehicle of nature" or “blood of the nature”8 must be protected by ballast water, one of the

principal way of biological invasion of the world.

Many of the treatment methods are still in the phase of experiments. Mechanical, physical,

chemical and biological methods have been developed and tested to minimize the transport of organisms

into the ballast water, but, some of these methods have also turned out to be damaging to marine

environment because appear the risk to introduce the chemical products in the water.

The organisms transfer in the ballast water is, in the first decade of 21st century, one of the most

serious environmental problem worldwide and to solve it, IMO approved a ballast water sterilization

system based on the Advanced Oxidation Technology9, which complies with the rules of this institution

and which came into effect on 2009.

8 Leonardo da Vinci

9 AOT

This agreement is very important for trying to avoid the arrival of invading species in the oceanic

ecosystems, but it is very important the commitment and implication of all the countries in this.

The climate change, like result to pollution of Polar System affect all our World. In this way, IMO

elaborate and implement starting with 1 January 2017, the Polar Code, a huge project of several years in

elaborating it.

In my opinion, Polar Code represents a principal subject for debate during next years, for experts

and scientists, to research and improve by finding new solutions to new problems meet in maritime safety

and environment protection in Polar waters.

Ballast water exchange represents a big problem and a challenge to solve for the researchers

and scientist of maritime domain and not only for them, for all the World.

For all of ballast water treatment methods investigated, there is the potential to reduce risks

through an adequate training and safety procedures. In some cases, safety features have already been

considered and are in place. If the treatment systems are installed on new ships additional safety features

could be considered during ship design.

Installing new technologies or redesign ships could be more expensive, so ship owners are

sceptic to use a new technology unless it is proven effective and efficiently.

This could be a reason more for delays in adopting regulations and implementing changes in

how ships manage ballast water releases.

The implementation of the best water management asked maritime scientists, shipping

companies and international organizations more research, more investment, development and dedication

in the next period to improve existing treatment methods and develop new methods.

We all owe to future generations the protection and respect of marine environment.

References

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Ballast Research in the United States of America.

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November 2014.

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Link. Retrieved 25 November 2014.

5. IMO. “Shipping in polar waters”, www.imo.org. Retrieved 2015-10-04.

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7. IMO. “Guidelines for ships operating in Polar waters” (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-29.

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