Commissioning Testing
Commissioning tests are required after installing a ballast water treatment system (BWTS) as of 1st June 2022. An independent lab must take and analyse water samples as part of the commissioning test to show that the whole ballast water installation performs as it should, and discharged ballast water is IMO-D2 compliant. As a shipowner you are responsible.
We are proud to let you know that Bawat's implemented ballast water management systems (BWMS) have, in all cases, passed all the tests with flying colours.
Meet Bawat's COMISSIONING ENGINEER
Watch the interview with Bawat's Commissioning Engineer Szczepan Karpowicz. You will hear about his first hand ship commissioning testing experience and learn about his insights working with Bawat's ballast water management system, he also talks about the customer benefits in choosing a Bawat system from his point of view.
BWMS installation and testing obligations:
Just because you have bought a type approved ballast water system and installed it, does not mean you are compliant. Compliance means, the discharged ballast water from your vessel is compliant with the regulatory allowable amounts of discharged zooplankton, phytoplankton and bacteria.
- The regulatory commissioning testing takes place after the installation of the ballast water treatment system. Bawat will undertake commissioning to assist the owners and ensure the installation is installed as per Bawats instructions and guidelines.
- The vessels flag state or delegated classification society will check, with its commissioning process, that the ballast water management system (BWMS) is in line with regulations required by the vessels flag state.
- The vessel owner then engages a third party for commissioning testing that the BWMS satisfies IMO D-2 and USCG discharge compliance standards.
Commissioning testing is raising some common issues:
- Many vessel owners believe they can undertake the commissioning testing. This is not allowed, it has to be an independent body and that excludes the BWMS provider.
There are also practical considerations:
In the Bawat ballast water management system, the sampling point(s) are installed in the vessels ballast water discharge piping close to the overboard. Using a Bawat BWMS, the quality of the water to be treated does not matter, this both water in ballast tanks or the water intake from sea. The Bawat BWMS will work with any water quality this be seawater, fresh water, turbid water, cold water - heat always works.
And remember, the Bawat BWMS only a single treatment pass (one-pass) is required to be IMO-D2 compliant.
Want to know more?
Contact us and we will get back to you.
