Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing: Guidance Notes On
Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing: Guidance Notes On
Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing: Guidance Notes On
on
Ballast Water
Management System
Commissioning Testing
December 2020
Document History
Date: Notes:
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
Section
1 Introduction
n Section 1
Introduction
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 This guidance is provided for the benefit of shipowners and service suppliers engaged with commissioning testing of
Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS). Statutory requirements for commissioning testing of BWMS can be found in the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) BWM.2/Circ.70, rev1 - Guidance for the commissioning testing of ballast water
management systems, as amended. There may also be additional Flag Administration requirements that must be complied with.
1.1.2 Amendments to Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention Regulation E-1 were adopted at MEPC 75 and are
coming into force on 1st June 2022. These amendments mandate the commissioning testing of BWMS during installation surveys.
Flag Administrations are likely to be encouraged to enforce early implementation. Some already mandate commissioning testing,
such as Australia, Cyprus and Singapore.
1.1.3 The purpose of this commissioning testing is to validate the installation of the BWMS by demonstrating its mechanical,
physical, chemical and biological processes are working correctly. The process is to first obtain an ambient sample to characterise
the ballast uptake water. Following treatment, the corresponding ballast discharge operation is then to be sampled in accordance
with the IMO Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling (G2). Self-monitoring parameters of the BWMS will also be assessed to
confirm correct operation.
1.1.4 Whilst there is no specified challenge condition (see IMO BWM.2/Circ.70, rev1) for the ambient uptake water, should the
water condition not be appropriate for the operation of BWMS, then testing will be evaluated to the satisfaction of the Flag
Administration.
1.1.5 The commissioning testing is to be conducted by an entity independent from the BWMS manufacturer or supplier that is
approved by Lloyd’s Register (LR) or the Flag Administration for commissioning testing of BWMS. The approved service supplier is
to have relevant accreditation for the task performed, such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/ International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17025, or equivalent as applicable.
n Section 2
Installation, survey and commissioning testing location
2.1 System installation, survey and commissioning
2.1.1 The ideal scenario is that installation, survey and commissioning can be completed in the same location within a similar
time frame. This would result in the issuance of an International Ballast Water Management Certificate. However, this may not
always be possible. For example, the system may have System Design Limitations or longer holding time requirements than the
ship’s schedule permits.
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
2.3 System installed and surveyed and commissioning testing is started at the same location but needs to be
finished in another location
2.3.1 The situation where the BWMS has been installed and surveyed in one location, and commissioning testing commences
in the same location. However, because of the hold time limitation of the system, and/or the vessel’s sailing schedule, for example,
the discharge sampling cannot take place at the same location and needs to be carried out in a different location.
2.3.2 In such circumstances, the ship may require short term BWM Convention certification, subject to consideration by the
Flag Administration.
2.4 System installed and surveyed but commissioning testing cannot be conducted at the same location
2.4.1 The situation where the BWMS has been installed and surveyed in one location, but owing to the System Design
Limitations, the BWMS is not compatible with the ambient water and commissioning testing needs to be done in a different
location.
2.4.2 In such circumstances, the ship may require short term BWM Convention certification, subject to consideration by the
Flag Administration.
n Section 3
Best practice for commissioning testing
3.1 General
3.1.1 The service supplier carrying out the commissioning testing of the BWMS is to be familiar with the system, in terms of its
operation principles and its System Design Limitations/operational limitations. These will be clearly defined in the IMO Type
Approval Certificate.
3.1.2 It is advisable that the shipowner discusses the System Design Limitations/operational limitations of the BWMS and
intended uptake water with the service supplier and provides the service supplier with all necessary documentation, such as
copies of Type Approval certificates, the Operation, Maintenance & Safety Manual, etc. Some systems will have limitations for
salinity, temperature, UV transmissions, etc. of the uptake water, for example.
3.1.3 The shipowner should ensure that the ballast tanks have been cleared of sediment prior to the commencement of
commissioning testing. Sediment is to be disposed of responsibly and in accordance with local regulations. The ship’s crew are to
operate the BWMS during commissioning testing. It is therefore important the crew are familiar with and trained in the correct
operation of the BWMS before commissioning testing commences.
3.1.4 Some BWMS, such as UV types, are able to operate in different modes which can alter the dosing. The shipowner
should ensure that during commissioning testing the system is operated in its IMO Type Approved mode, which may use a lower
dose compared to United States Coastguard (USCG) Type Approved mode.
3.1.5 The safety of persons involved in the commissioning testing is essential, and due consideration should be given to the
BWMS technology used. For example, some BWMS use active substances which can have harmful effects. Material Data Safety
sheets are to be available and consulted.
3.1.6 Commissioning testing comprises two assessments. In addition to assessing the biological performance by sampling
and analysis of the ballast water, it is required to assess the system’s self-monitoring parameters for correct operation of BWMS.
Service suppliers are to perform both assessment of the biological sampling and assessment of self-monitoring parameters and
submit findings in the form of a report. It is therefore important the ship’s crew are familiar with self-monitoring details and able to
assist in providing access to gather the required information to perform the commissioning testing effectively.
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
(b) A representative sample should be collected, in accordance with Guidelines for Ballast Water Sampling (G2). The only
exception is during sampling at uptake, where ambient water is collected.
(c) Discharge sampling is to be conducted in a way that minimises mortality of organisms, with a sample volume of at least 1 m³.
This will result in using a standard plankton net arrangement, or ISO standard sample collection devices for ballast water
sampling. Time integrated sampling over the whole discharge operation would be recommended. Smaller sampling volumes
may be acceptable, provided they are validated and accepted by LR. It is advisable for service suppliers to submit validation
reports and get approval in advance of commissioning testing.
(d) Typically, indicative analysis equipment requires a small volume of water for analysis. It should be demonstrated that the
concentration of sub-samples is representative of the sample volume collected. Full information, including methodology and
mixing for sub-samples, should be provided to LR and the shipowner.
3.2.3 Analysis
(a) Samples should be analysed using indicative analysis equipment. Indicative analysis is defined in BWM.2/Circ.42/Rev.1, as
may be amended. This is a minimum requirement as per BWM.2/Circ.70, rev1, as amended.
(b) Detailed analysis may be used, in place of indicative analysis, as detailed analysis provides more accurate results. The
detailed analysis methodology should be suitably validated and approved by LR. Should samples be sent to a laboratory, for
preparation and subsequently to conduct detailed analysis, then the detailed analysis should be carried out under an
approved method(s) in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025, or equivalent.
(c) LR requires indicative analysis equipment to be approved for its intended purpose. It is understood that currently there are
few types of indicative analysis equipment available for the analysis of the greater than or equal to 50 µm organism size class.
As an alternative, a combination of detailed and indicative analysis may be used.
(d) Uptake water does not need to meet specified challenge conditions. The uptake water should be suitable for treatment by
the BWMS, i.e. not outside of its System Design Limitation. Hence, characterising the physical water condition of uptake
water is important.
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
3.3.3 Depending upon the design of the BWMS, it may be necessary for some of these self-monitoring parameters to be
verified by sampling. For example, TRO measurement can be verified by analysing discharge water with a portable calorimeter.
This would verify that the BWMS discharge does not exceed the Maximum Allowable Discharge Concentration (MADC) limit, and
that it is installed and functioning correctly.
3.3.4 The self-monitoring parameters will be displayed and available in the BWMS control and monitoring system.
Photographic evidence of the BWMS HMI screen with above parameters and BWMS alarm log should be submitted with the
report. These photos should be taken periodically throughout the commissioning test.
n Section 4
Commissioning testing reporting
4.1 General
4.1.1 The commissioning testing report should cover all aspects of the commissioning testing and should be written by the
party conducting the testing.
This document should be ship-specific and contain at least the following information:
• Ship Name;
• Ship IMO Number;
• Service Supplier Details;
• Ballast pump capacity and ballast volume of number of tank(s) used;
• BWMS type, model and manufacturer;
• IMO Type Approval certificate number and issuing authority – wherever possible a copy of the certificate should be submitted;
• Uptake sampling information
(i) Time
(ii) Location;
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Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Commissioning Testing
Guidance on Ballast Water Management System Chapter 1
Commissioning Testing Section 5
n Section 5
Role of Lloyd’s Register in commissioning testing of BWMS
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 An LR Surveyor will normally be in attendance during various stages of the installation and commissioning testing of the
BWMS to the ship.
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