As of 1 January 2016 vessels are no longer able to discharge ballast in US waters unless their ballast water treatment (BWT) systems are compliant with stringent demands from the USCG. Experts believe that now, more than ever, it is imperative that shipowners make the right BWT choice.

“There’s so much confusion surrounding the issue of ballast water treatment now,” opines Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen, the head of a firm that brought the first ever commercial BWT system to market back in 2000. “The IMO Ballast Water Management (BWM) convention is close to ratification, but yet to be rubber-stamped, and meanwhile the USCG has taken the bold move to act unilaterally to protect the environment with its own regulations.

Tags: Optimarin