Alfa Laval: Success with PureBallast

Dinoflagellates before and after treatment with the PureBallast system. After treatment, the cell membrane is disrupted and the organism’s chlorophyll has disappeared. This means that it cannot reproduce and is no longer viable.

PureBallast, Alfa Laval’s chemical-free system for ballast water treatment, was developed in cooperation with Wallenius Water and launched in December 2006. In July of this year, the system received IMO Active Substance Final Approval, which confirms non-toxic operation and paves the way for the final stage of the Ballast Water Type Approval process. Just one month later, Alfa Laval has signed a contract for four PureBallast systems to be installed on vessels owned by German ship owner E.R. Schiffahrt.

Released two years ahead of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) regulations to prevent the transport of potentially invasive species, Alfa Laval’s PureBallast is a viable ballast water treatment system. Its biological performance has been confirmed in numerous independent tests, and its environmental performance was confirmed in July by IMO’s Active Substance Final Approval. Confirmation of PureBallast’s commercial feasibility came today via a major sale to E.R. Schiffahrt. E.R. Schiffahrt, which provides container ships to large liner companies worldwide, will install PureBallast systems aboard four of its upcoming newbuilds. Each vessel will have a capacity of around 880 TEU and a PureBallast system with a flow rate of 500 m3/h. The newbuilds, scheduled for completion in 2009, will be among the first to comply with the pending IMO regulations.

Also committed to the PureBallast system is Wallenius Marine, on board whose car carrier M/V Don Quijote the first test version was installed in 2003. The first serial system was installed on board the M/V Aida in January 2007, and all Wallenius newbuilds will be equipped with PureBallast systems.