Is Your Ballast Water Treatment System USCG Approved?

With the new Ballast Water Treatment Convention (BWTC) taking effect September of 2017, all ships traveling through international waters must have a ballast water treatment system on board that meets US Coast Guard Approval.  The main goal of the BWTC is to establish standards for treating ships’ ballast water, addressing a growing concern which is one of the greatest threats to the world’s oceans. 

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) enforces the BWTC, which is a subsidiary of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).  When ships drop cargo and pick up ballast water in one port, then sail across the ocean and drop their ballast water in a foreign port, foreign invading aquatic organisms take hold with sometimes catastrophic consequences. These aquatic lifeforms may have had natural predators to keep balance within their natural ecosystem, but multiply uncontrollably in a new environment.

When lifeforms such as jellyfish, clams, crabs, mussels and various viruses and bacteria naked to the human eye are released into a foreign environment, they threaten the health and well-being of the marine life, and also the people that live in these areas. For example, invading mussels have attached themselves to power plants and dams, proving nearly impossible to eradicate and posing a great risk to the people inland.  Jellyfish have taken over fishing ports destroying the industry and livelihood of entire towns.

The new terms of the Ballast Water Treatment Convention address what is recognized as one of the greatest threats to the sustainability of our planet’s oceans.

LightSources Offers Proven Solutions for Ballast Water Treatment Systems

The LightSources Group offers solutions for Ballast Water Treatment Systems, providing UVC germicidal lamps and components proven extremely effective at purifying and sterilizing water and surfaces, eliminating harmful contaminants. UV radiation is successful at eradicating bacteria and viruses naked to the human eye, eliminating the risk of contamination and infestation of harmful microorganisms.

We are dedicated to continual improvement through research and development, bringing innovative lighting solutions to market which offer longer-lasting high-performance with energy-saving features. We offer Low Pressure (LP) Amalgam lamps which operate with 30 to 35% more efficiency than comparable lamps, with a compact footprint convenient in tight spaces.

Our proprietary technology, LongLife™, provides superior germicidal effectiveness at the optimal 254 nanometer (nm) wavelength. The LightSources group also provides a Medium Pressure (MPUV) germicidal lamp with an even smaller footprint ideal on smaller vessels.

The LightSources Group is a leading global lamp designer and manufacturer, providing effective UV sanitation to air and water applications. Contact us today to speak with a knowledgeable engineer and to learn more about our proven solutions for ballast water treatment systems that meet US Coast Guard approval.