NUS develops new technology to treat ballast water

Channel NewsAsia 6 Sep 11;

SINGAPORE: A new more compact and environmentally-friendly technology developed locally to disinfect ballast water in ships may soon be used on vessels plying international shipping routes.

The new technology is developed by a team of researchers from the Faculty of Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

It treats the water using electrolysis and is already approved by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The system uses a patented and cost-effective electrode and a series of supporting devices to treat ballast water over a period of 10 to 12 hours.

An NUS spin-off company has been formed to commercialise the technology in the next few years.

The IMO requires all existing ships to be fitted with such systems by 2016.

The development of the system was funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Ballast water is taken on and discharged by ships to maintain their stability while loading and unloading cargo. It is disinfected to prevent aquatic organisms being transferred from one environment to another, which could be harmful to the biodiversity of the local marine ecosystem.

- CNA/fa