UV Ballast Water Treatment Is US Coast Guard Approved

The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) was ratified by Finland in 2016 with the final votes of States necessary to enforce international compliance.  While the United States is not a party to the BWMC, the US follows even stricter regulations. Any ship which discharges ballast water in United States waters must maintain a ballast water treatment system approved by the US Coast Guard.

How Ships’ Ballast Water Systems Work

Ships use a ballast water system to maintain ideal buoyancy and balance when traveling through open water and one loading or unloading cargo.  A large ship will have the capacity to hold millions of gallons of water in their ballast water system. The problem occurs when ships pick up water in one port and discharge in a foreign port, also discharging microorganisms and Marine sea creatures which invade the foreign ports without natural predators.

Exchanging untreated ballast water is recognized as one of the top four greatest threats to the sustainability of the world’s oceans.  Invading marine organisms have had catastrophic results on fishing ports, devastating natural ecosystems and economies the communities depend upon. For example, invading zebra mussels multiplied to uncontrollable levels clogging underwater equipment in Lake St. Clair when discharged into the Great Lakes from ballast water in 1988. This incident caused an estimated $7 billion in damages.

UV Ballast Water Systems Offer Many Advantages

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is proven to have highly effective germicidal properties, with UVC germicidal lamps used worldwide in surface, water and air sterilization systems. UV ballast water treatment systems offer many advantages over other treatment technologies such as filtration or chemical use. UV ballast water treatment technology is approved by the US Coast Guard and offers the following benefits.

• Minimal maintenance required - UV water treatment systems are simple to install and maintain. Chemical treatment systems require purchasing, storing and disposing of harmful chemicals which can be toxic and require additional treatments. Filtration systems do not catch microscopic organisms naked to the human eye and will often get clogged up quickly.  
• Proven effective - UV radiation is proven to be highly effective at eliminating bacteria, viruses and harmful microorganisms regardless of water temperature or salinity.
• Safety  - UVC radiation eliminates harmful contaminants with germicidal effectiveness that is safe to humans and produces no harmful byproducts.
• Compact -  UV germicidal lamps support compact water treatment systems with a small footprint and maybe custom designed for specific requirements.

LightSources Offers UVC Germicidal Lamps for Water Treatment Systems

The LightSources Group is recognized worldwide for providing high quality fluorescent and ultraviolet lamps and lighting solutions.  We offer a wide selection UV lamps including Low Pressure Amalgam lamps and Medium Pressure UV lamps developed with proprietary technology. The lighting engineers at the LightSources Group represents the leading high-tech lamp designers available in the industry, offering custom-designed and solutions including custom phosphor blends to meet your disinfection requirements.

The LightSources Group offers decades of experience, tight quality control and engineers with in-depth knowledge in developing effective germicidal solutions. Our UVC germicidal lamps are proven in air, water and surface sterilization applications worldwide. Contact us to learn how our UVC germicidal lamps benefit ballast water systems.