US ballast water treatment range adds approval from ABS

The systems have the capacity to treat ballast water flow rates of up to 16,000 m³/h. Prior to ABS PDA approval, the Ecochlor BWTS received IMO G9 final approval in September 2010. In November 2011, Ecochlor was granted IMO type approval (G8) from the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). The company says the tests have proved that the system can meet or exceed proposed US requirements, said to be at least 10 times tougher than the IMO standards, as well as complying with the 2004 IMO ballast water convention.

Ecochlor adds that it has had systems in service since 2004, two of which have been operating under the US Coast Guard’s shipboard technology evaluation program (STEP) since 2008. The Ecochlor BWTS uses a two-step process, filtration followed by disinfection using chlorine dioxide. The system is claimed to cope with variations in salinity, temperature, turbidity, organics, and vibration, with small size, low power, and low maintenance characteristics of the Ecochlor system making it suitable for newbuild or retrofit installations. Compatibility with explosion protection specifications allows the system to be installed on tankers.