Green Ship Technology Conference

Rotterdam March 11-12th 2008

Water Ballast Tank regulations

IMO BWMS Convention IMO PSPC SOLAS regulations

Some challenges and concerns for Water Ballast Tank Coatings

Rodney Towers C.Eng., MRINASafinah Limited

SOLAS regulations

Objective to raise the long term performance standards of WB tank coating systemsCoatings to be performance tested and Type approved Surface preparation standards raisedMuch increased QC during applicationShipbuilders to create a Coatings Technical File for ship on deliveryIncreased cost for shipbuilders & paint makers

Ballast Water Management Convention

Objective to prevent environmental damage arising from the transport of harmful aquatic organisms from one sea region to another

New technologies required for on board treatment of SW ballast

Testing procedures required for acceptability of Active substances induced or added in treatment process

Testing procedures required to confirm efficacy of treatment process

Ballast Water Management Convention

No specific requirement for treatment technologies to be tested against WBT coatings

No clear requirement which supports the long term WBT coating performance objective of SOLAS regulations

Ballast Water Management Convention

BWMS systems should be tested for their corrosivity to other materials in a WB tank

this implies tank coating materials

BUT there are no guidelines for such coating tests

AND coatings do not corrode

Ballast Water Management Convention

Current status of ratification after 4 years 11 nations representing 3.6% of tonnage

requirement for ratification30 nations representing 35% of tonnage

Norway & Spain are the only marine heavyweights

There is a long way to go

Ballast Water Management Convention

Main reasons for slow progress

Many States unwilling to ratify ahead of some BWMS product choice for their shipowners

Other reasons

Convention will not apply to large ships until 2012 – long way off in Greek shipping terms

In US, the USCG claim no legal authority to act until Congress approves appropriate Act with

consequential problem for US manufacturers

BWMS approval process

Flag State Administrations

decide if BWMS proposals use Active substances or not make application to IMO if G9 Basic Approval of any Active substance requiredmanage the evaluation of BWMS for efficacymake application to IMO for Final Approvalare the authority to issue Type Approval Cert.

BWMS approval process

IMO will

initiate Basic Approval through GESAMP

grant Basic Approval of acceptability of Active substance in BWMS

issue Final Approval of Active substance after positive technical evaluation of BWMS by F/S Admin

BWMS approval process

Important to understand that IMO

do not involve with G8 approval procedures

Basic & Final Approvals concern the Active substances

Approvals are not for the efficacy of the BWMS

do not monitor or collate any list of Type Approval Certificates as issued by F/S Admins

BWMS approval process

Information from BWMS manufacturers

IMO guidelines require multitude of tests

duration of tests 18-24 months, even longer

facilities of a whole lab may be needed

cost of testing may be too high for small companies

process slow and hugely expensive

BWMS technologies

BWMS technologies fall into 2 categories

systems using mostly physical actions

systems using chemical additives

Technology Action Approval process

IMO

BasicIMO

Final

Type Approval

Coating tests

de-oxygenation physical G8 not

req

not

req

yes yes

light source physical G9 yes yes expect

mid 08

no

cavitation +

de-oxygenation +

electro disinfection

physical G9 yes expect

end 08

pending yes ?

hydroclonic filtration +

biodegradeable chem

physical + chem

G9 yes imminent pending yes

ozone injection +

electrolysis

physical G9 Yes no info no info

split pipe + ozone physical G9 yes no info no info

electro-disinfection physical

+ chem

G9 yes no info no info

electrolysis of s/water physical no info

Summary table

BWMS technologies effect on coatings

Concerns about WBT coating integrity

Change in BW composition after treatment

Testing procedures for coating integrity

Change in pH

BWMS technologies effect on coatings

Concerns are

Coatings are permeable Risk is that chemicals either induced by physical treatments or by addition will create a new composition of BW which might be too aggressive for a WBT coatingSoluble gases, hydroxyl, chloride, bromate, hydrobromous ions, hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acids are all Active substances

BWM ConventionResponsibilities for testing

Current situation

F/S Admin responsible for deciding G8 or G9 approval procedure of BWMSBWMS maker responsible for all testing required for G8 & G9 procedures IMO responsible for providing the GuidelinesNo Guidelines for BWMS makers about how to test their systems against WBT coating systems

Challenges raisedfor Coating Manufacturers

SOLAS PSPC – development of new technology coatings to assist

shipbuilders regain productivity lost due IMO regulations

BWM– some BWMS induce, give rise to or use various

chemicals which can be aggressive to epoxy coatings– purity of inert gas generated– oxygen depletion– caution needed with hypochlorites, chlorides, hydroxyls,

hydrogen peroxide, hydrobromous and peracetic acids– need to know PSPC Type approved coatings will not be

damaged

Challenges raisedfor BWMS Manufacturers

need for Guidelines on what and how to test their systems against PSPC Type approved WBT coatingsadditional testing costs seem likely responsibility for testing will be for makers Shipbuilders guarantee requirements likely to include no long term negative effects on WBT coating systems used by yard ( will include shop primer)

Challenges raisedfor Shipbuilders

could benefit financially from new technology coatings which help to regain productivity lost due PSPC regs

production issues may lead shipyards to conclude WBT coatings need to become a yard supply item - as shop primer

under shipyard control, can new warranty terms, longer than 12 months, for WBT coating systems be developed ?

Shipbuilders likely to make severe warranty demands on BWMS suppliers before accepting their supply

Challenges raisedfor IMO

Amendment to BWM Convention needed which will link with and support PSPC long term performance objectives for WBT coating systems

terminology used for approvals in BWM Convention is confusing

no composite list of BWMS Type Approvals is readily available

- F/States and Class likely to have some need to access this info

- who can provide this?