Commissioning sampling for BWTS

A requirement for water sampling to be conducted in connection with commissioning testing – more simply expressed as commissioning sampling – is being introduced for newly installed ballast water treatment systems. The IMO requirement was laid out at MEPC 74 in an amendment to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention).

This new requirement will enter effect worldwide in early 2022. At present, commissioning sampling is not mandatory for the vast majority of vessels. In order to provide clarity for the market regarding the purpose and procedures for commissioning sampling, Alfa Laval has produced a white paper. This paper clarifies the new requirement, explaining not only what commissioning sampling is, but also why, how and when it should be done.