(LUND, Sweden) — Alfa Laval PureBallast 3, the third generation of the market’s ballast water treatment technology, is the first solution to meet the revised International Maritime Organization (IMO) G8 testing requirements. DNV GL, acting on behalf of the Norwegian Maritime Authority, issued an updated type-approval certificate on Feb. 2, making Alfa Laval the first supplier compliant with the revised G8 demands.
The revised G8 guidelines are more in line with today’s stringent U.S. Coast Guard requirements. They are in important change, stemming from the fact that some systems which were type approved according to the original G8 guidelines have failed to meet the D-2 performance standard when subjected to additional tests or evaluation. Customer organizations such as the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have pushed for the revised G8 guidelines, seeking to make certain that the industry’s massive investments in ballast water treatment will achieve the intended results – instead of merely adding hardware.
Because ballast water treatment systems approved under the former guidelines can still be installed until 2020, there is no immediate need to purchase a system with revised G8 compliance. Likewise, no upgrades of previously installed systems will be necessary. Nevertheless, readiness for revised G8 compliance shows PureBallast will let ship owners make the most of their investment.
Alfa Laval, having listened to customer concerns and closely followed legislative developments, was early to begin biological efficacy testing according to the new G8 regime. Tests with marine, brackish and fresh water were completed in Q3 2017, along with additional tests to verify the independence of results from water temperature. After review and reporting by DNV GL on behalf of the Norwegian Maritime Authority, Alfa Laval received approval of the industry’s first revised G8 certificate – with only a single sensor added to the PureBallast 3 hardware and no changes to its power consumption or flow.
For more information, visit www.alfalaval.com/pureballast.
