Technical Notices

With reference to the amendments to the Commissioning testing of the Ballast Water Management Systems that were introduced by the IMO Resolution MEPC.325(75) and entered into force on 1 June 2022, the following are highlighted:

During the installation of any ballast water management system, it shall be confirmed that a commissioning test has been conducted to validate the installation of the system by demonstrating that its mechanical, physical, chemical and biological processes are working properly, taking into account the guidelines of IMO as indicated in the BWM.2/Circ.70/Rev.1 – Guidance for the commissioning testing of ballast water management systems. 

In this respect, the following steps should be undertaken following installation of the BWMS on board the ship, and after all ballasting equipment (e.g. pumps and piping) has been fully installed and tested, as appropriate:

1. a sample may be collected during ballast water uptake to characterize the ambient water, by any means practical (e.g. in-line sample port or direct harbour sample). Characterization of the ambient water does not require detailed analysis of the uptake water, however an indicative analysis may be undertaken;
2. a representative sample should be collected during the corresponding ballast water discharge after the full treatment has been applied. Samples should be collected from the sampling point as described in the Guidelines on ballast water sampling (G2). The total sample volume should be at least 1 m3. If a smaller volume is validated to ensure representative sampling of organisms, it may be used;
3. the representative samples should be analysed for the two size classes of organisms, namely ≥ 50 μm and ≥ 10 μm to < 50 μm, as specified in the D-2 standard, using indicative analysis methods listed in 2/Circ.42/Rev.2 – 2020 Guidance on ballast water sampling and analysis for trial use in accordance with the BWM Convention and Guidelines (G2), as may be amended; And
4. the applicable self-monitoring parameters (e.g. flow rate, pressure, TRO concentration, UV transmittance/intensity, etc.) of the BWMS should also be assessed, taking into account the system design limitations of the BWMS, and the correct operation of all sensors and related equipment should be confirmed.

 
The commissioning test is successful, if (a) the indicative analysis indicates that the discharge samples do not exceed the D-2 standard for the size classes analyzed (see above paragraph 3) and (b) the self-monitoring equipment indicates correct operation.

The collection and analysis of the representative samples should be independent of the BWMS manufacturer or supplier and to the satisfaction of the Administration. Therefore, these functions are to be carried out, as applicable, by a service supplier approved by our classification society or by a classification society of IACS.