$1,800 to change ballast water

Tanker owners` association Intertanko has calculated that the cost of changing ballast water in a VLCC as proposed by the IMO will be $1,800 per trip, costing the industry over $18.6 million/year for visits to the US alone. These figures assume a total ballast capacity of around 97,000m3, taking 40 hours to empty and refill.

Delegates at a conference of Marine Environmental Regulation were also told of safety concerns regarding stability and structural strength of vessels changing ballast in mid-voyage. It was also pointed out that the regulations cover many voyages where it is not necessary to change the ballast and excludes some (like S E Asia to Australia) where transported organisms are causing a problem.

Marine environmentalists agree that the problem is greatest for voyages beginning and ending on similar latitudes. To take account of all these factors, Intertanko is drawing up a `map` showing areas of incompatibility which it says will show on which voyages the ballast would need to be exchanged.