Most ships carry a diverse assembly of organisms in their ballast water - the biggest pollution challenge facing the shipping industry today.
Aquatic organisms transferred to areas where they do not naturally occur, is considered one of the most serious threats to biodiversity. Ships' use of ballast water represents the most common pathway to the introduction of non-indigenous organisms.
The spreading of harmful aquatic organisms when brought into coastal habitats via ships' ballast water may cause irreversible changes affecting human health and industries as well as the ecological balance of the seas.These problems are already experienced by a number of the world's coastal states and their effects well documented.
Recognising the seriousness of this issue, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) initiated work on the development of a regulatory framework in the late 1980's.This materialised in guidelines introducing the concept of ballast water exchange between ports. Later, the IMO initiative brought real merit to the matter when it adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments on February the 13th. 2004.
The Ballast Water Convention will require all ships to implement appropriate management plans and recording procedures – but more importantly, it defines a Ballast Water Performance Standard to which ships must comply. The measure to be applied, that of onboard Ballast Water Treatment, introduces unique challenges to the industry. This is apparent when addressing ballast water volumes and the speed required to turn ships around in ports. The phase-in timeline of this requirement will be effective from 2009.
MetaFil AS is developing the OceanSaver® Ballast Water Treatment System using a combination of physical processes exposing ballast water to multi-shock pulse wave sequences leaving the ballast water supersaturated and hypoxic during the voyage. The system reduces the exposure of protective coatings to oxidation and reduces the rate of corrosion by a significant amount. The process restores the level of dissolved oxygen in the water during discharge.
The Mnemiopsis leidy, introduced to the Black and Azov Seas in the early 1980s has wiped out the anchovy and sprat fisheries causing a loss n the region of US $ 200 mill. annually. his invader has now established itself in the Caspian Sea and is now even causing concern even in the Baltic region.
The mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) became established in the San Francisco Bay in the 1990s and is now found in densities exceeding 10,000 individuals per square meters.
The Northern Pacific starfish was introduced to Australia by ballast water from Japan in the early 1980s causing severe damage to aquaculture and fishing industries and proving impossible to eradicate. The invasion has had a major economic impact, leading to an annual loss of millions of US dollars.
The toxic dinoflagellate Gymnodium catenatum is now established in Australian waters and has been responsible for the closure of shellfish harvesting in different areas on several occasions.
Costs associated to repair and control of damages caused by the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is estimated at US $ 500 million over a period of 10 years.
Costs associated with the repair and control of damages caused by the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is estimated at US $ 500 million over a period of 10 years.