The next milestone in the IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention, 8 September 2019, is approaching quickly, requiring more vessels to comply with the D2 standard.
Ecochlo首席执行官史蒂夫•坎迪托（Steve Candito）建议，“如果你是一名船东，甚至还没有开始就船只处理技术进行决策，你可能需要重新考虑你的合规战略。”。
Candito recommended that shipowners should begin retrofit planning a year in advance by reaching out to marine engineering firms experienced in ballast water treatment installations to determine which treatment technology is best suited for their vessel or fleet of ships, and also to the vessel’s classification society (Class) to be aware of any limitations placed on the system’s use. He warned that industry expectations are that both the marine engineering firms and Class will reach their staffing capacity in the very near future. As a result, there is the potential for long bottlenecks in delivery and costly delays for the shipowner.
“Ecochlo通常会收到业主的初步询问，询问‘制造一个系统需要多长时间？“我们告诉他们6个月，这是详细设计图纸完成后需要的时间。船东没有意识到的是，在与BWTS制造商签署采购订单之前，集成工程师、制造商和船级社之间有几个月的对话和决策。项目的这个阶段可能需要三到六个月的时间，这取决于所需的服务水平，并且应该在制造商的系统构建时间表之前完成。在此期间，大多数船舶需要三维扫描或测量、基本和详细的工程图纸以及船级社审查和批准这些文件的时间。经过多年使用我们的BWT改装船舶的经验，我们已经确定，为了实现尽可能最好和成本最低的结果，船东确实需要在其合规期限前一年开始这一进程”。
压载水处理系统：了解其极限
在选择压载水管理系统时，除了船舶尺寸外，还需要考虑各种其他因素，包括：贸易路线、水浊度和温度。
Candito said: “If your ship has a charter that requires travel to ports with ‘dirty water’, for example in the Mississippi River, then an ultraviolet treatment system (UV) is probably not the best option for that vessel. In addition, a larger vessel may require more than one UV treatment system. In turn, that leads to very high-power requirements to adequately treat the ballast water in addition to needing more space to install multiple systems. On the other hand, a cruise ship traveling in clean Caribbean waters with low ballast flow rates would be a good option for a UV system”.
另一种处理技术是电解氯化。在最佳的电解氯化条件下，活性物质的生成迅速，产生足够的消毒剂。然而，随着水的盐度、温度、硬度和pH值的变化，活性物质的生成速度和次氯酸的生成量都会降低，并将影响BWTS的运行方式。
“Ecochlo独特的专利二氧化氯系统与电解氯化的处理技术截然不同，因为它在所有水环境下都能很好地工作，无需船员重新校准或改变标准的BWTS操作。此外，排放压载水时没有再处理或中和”，Candito说。
A report by ABS声称只有57%的系统是可操作的，而其余的是“有问题的”或“不可操作的”。但是，不可操作性的问题似乎取决于系统的使用环境。在船舶所用压载水不适合该特定处理技术的情况下，如紫外线系统中的混浊水或电氯化系统中的淡水，船员必须更多地参与系统的操作。不幸的是，这种更具挑战性的治疗环境也可能发生一些与系统不可操作性有关的问题，特别是当机组人员没有受过良好培训时。
BWTS的不可操作性可能导致对罚款的真正恐惧，或港口国管制（PSC）施加的延误，以及系统故障时声誉的损害。应急计划现在需要作为每艘船舶BWM计划的一部分。
Candito说:“从第一压载操作,Ecochlor engages in continuous communication directly with the vessel’s crew and operational data is collected and sent to our service team. This communication allows for early notification of equipment problems and allows us to resolve the issue之前it becomes a problem.
“Contingency planning for an Ecochlor system is very different from our competitors because we don’t treat or neutralise during discharge, so any issues most likely will happen during intake. Ideally, we want to assist the crew while they are still ballasting, but if we can’t solve the problem remotely, we might be able to get someone on board the ship depending on where they are located. Worst case scenario, the ship would leave for their next port with untreated ballast water. This additional time before discharge allows our service technicians to continue to work with the crew to identify the problem. Thus, the crew has time to contact PSC at the arrival port to inform them of the issue and allows for a ballast water exchange while in transit. Other BWTS may have to leave the port for the exchange and then return if the problem is not identified until the point of ballast discharge.”
船上船员：满足监管期望
如果不可操作性是由于缺乏对系统的了解而引起的问题，那么可以说机组人员培训是非常重要的。
“目前，在经验积累阶段，监管机构只希望船员们做一些非常基本的事情。他们应该知道如何打开系统；正确记录他们正在使用系统；船舶应该有一个压载水管理计划。机组人员还应熟悉最新的法规，以符合规定，”坎迪托说。
To assist the crew, Ecochlor offers many options for training the ship’s crew from in-person training at commissioning and then at the first ballast operation, to a multi-level computer-based training program, a portable HMI simulator that allows for training to be brought “on the road” or to classroom sites globally.
Candito included: “We are also in the process of completing a training facility at our North Haven, Connecticut location. At this site, we can bring the shipowners installation superintendent, crew or any stakeholder involved in the operation of our BWTS. At this facility, we will have an Ecochlor treatment system as well as a wet filter and dry filter that will allow crew members to actually operate a system and see how it functions in real-life situations.”
正确进行压载水测试
今年的MEPC73讨论的主题之一是围绕测试和如何可靠地进行测试。
坎迪托说：“目前，科学界还没有足够的信息或了解，也没有全球认可的测试工具或程序来进行实时测试。”。“MEPC73预计会有一份提案，详细说明调试时BWTS样品分析的指南，但他们推迟到下次会议。”
为了准备调试和港口测试变得更加常规，Ecochlo建立了行业内唯一的BWTS合规性保证。生态护理™ 确保其处理技术符合IMO、USCG和美国各州标准。它涉及处理压载水的系统效能，并将确保船舶免受高达100万美元的罚款、港口费用或因压载水处理效能不合规而造成的延误。
To learn more about Ecochlor’s unique BWM Compliance Guarantee and shipowner partner program for training, service and maintenance you can download their case study atwww.casestudy.ecochlor.com. 与销售团队的一名成员交谈sales@ecochlor.com.
史蒂夫·坎迪托是Ecochlor压载水处理系统（BWTS）的首席执行官，在海事行业拥有30多年的经验。在加入Ecochlo之前，Steve是Foresea Consulting的创始人、总裁兼首席执行官，为海洋和环境界提供各种咨询服务，包括战略规划、法规遵从性和危机管理。在Foresea之前，他是National Response Corporation（NRC）的总裁兼首席执行官。在NRC的20多年里，他将业务从一家初创企业发展为全球领先的应急响应和环境服务公司。他在OPA 90合规性问题上有丰富的经验，特别关注船舶所有人和保险事宜。
史蒂夫曾于1985年至1993年在海特加德纳贫民区担任律师，专长于海事诉讼和环境法。他还担任过美国埃克森美孚公司国内油轮船队的轮机员。史蒂夫毕业于霍夫斯特拉大学法学院和美国商船学院。