Abiotic and biological differences in ballast water uptake and discharge samples

During the type approval process of ballast water management systems (BWMS) performance tests need to be conducted according to the BWMS Code (previously Guidelines G8) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The shipboard tests previously included a control experiment with untreated ballast water to evaluate the BWMS performance by comparing test results of treated and untreated water. Biological results and abiotic parameters of 97 control water tests conducted during the last >10 years during ballast water uptakes and corresponding discharges were summarized. In general, a strong decline of organisms in ballast tanks was observed, especially during the first few days of the holding time. The IMO validity criteria for uptake water phytoplankton in shipboard control tests were met in 82.5% of all tests. Phytoplankton numbers below the validity criteria occurred predominantly in winter and/or when the water was taken up offshore. For zooplankton the validity criteria were always met. The TSS and POC content in the authors' ballast water uptake samples was frequently much higher than required during IMO BWMS type approval tests so that the current testing requirements do not represent a challenge to BWMS. With this a risk is taken that type approved BWMS fail in water conditions which occur frequently in the real world.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112046
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X21000801
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0025326
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Gollasch, Stephan
  • David, Matej
• Publication Date: 2021-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 112046
• Serial:
  • Marine Pollution Bulletin
  • Volume: 164
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0025-326
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0025326X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aquatic life; Phytoplankton; Ship ballast; Ships; Testing
• Identifier Terms: International Maritime Organization
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01788366
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 17 2021 2:25PM