Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS)

Experts in ballast water management systems (BWTS)

The ballast water management from ships is a process of vital importance in the naval sector, as marine pollution at biological level caused by organisms transported through the ballast water of a ship can have devastating consequences for the marine ecosystem. Popularly known by its acronym BWTS (Ballast Water Treatment System), the ship ballast system is regulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the Convention for the Control and Maanagement of Ballast Water and Sediment from Vessels

The SYM Naval team advises, builds a digital model and executes the installation of the most suitable ship ballast water system for each naval project

Without the control of ships’ ballast water, the inadvertent introduction of aquatic microorganisms in different areas of the sea and in ports around the world can create a serious environmental and economic threat. In addition to the danger of introducing invasive species into waters where they do not belong, that is, non-indigenous species, the incorrect ballast water management can favor the transport of bacteria such as Vibrio Cholerae, which leads to the transmission of diseases such as cholera, Therefore, it is essential to use sustainable and effective solutions to reduce biological contamination by means of ballast water treatment systems or other filtering solutions, taking into account the ballast water discharge regulations.

The treatment of ballast water from ships is carried out through three stages or ballasting operations: during ballast at the port of discharge, during the voyage between ports and during deballasting of the ship at the port of loading.

At SYM Naval, as an independent partner, we do not represent any particular manufacturer or technology, so we adapt to any ballast water treatment companies project. Our team of naval engineers is trained to get involved in any phase of the ballast system installation project and, together with the shipowner, lead to the most efficient ballast installation possible. To do this, we offer our support to the shipowner in basic ballast water projects that involve a 3D scan and a modeling process for feasibility studies or, on the contrary, we participate in a complete turnkey installation of the ballast water system of a vessel.

In addition, we have the experience of carrying out ballast water treatment system installations during navigation in coordination with the operation of the ship in order to save downtime on the part of the vessel. Being aware of the importance of good planning for ballast water management to adjust the level of intervention during the docking period, we digitized the design of the ballast system to be able to pre-fabricate the elements and optimize the execution time on the dock or browsing.

he installation project of a ship’s ballast water system can be divided into different phases and, from SYM Naval, we offer each of these services independently at the shipowner’s convenience:

– Selection of the ballast water system by the shipowner.
– Conceptual project proposal.
– 3D scanning and digital design of the ballast system.
– Approval engineering.
– Detailed and productive engineering.
– Prefabrication of the piping system and auxiliary elements.
– Installation of the ballast water system on board the ship.
– Testing of operating systems.

From our strategic bases in Barcelona (Mediterranean) and Santo Domingo (Caribbean) we design and prepare a ballast water management plan for ships around the world.