MOL to install containerised ballast treatment in ship's cargo hold

JAPAN's shipping giant MOL has announced it has acquired approval in concept for the installation of a packaged container ballast water treatment system that can fit inside a vessel's cargo hold.

The new technology is said to greatly reduce installation times on an existing vessel, compared to systems installed in the engine room.

These commercially available ballast water treatment systems are packaged in a 40-foot containers along with the supporting electric equipment. A container was used in the design for ease of maintenance and accessibility.

MOL and MHI have already started detailed engineering work and plan to install an experimental system with a capacity of 750m3/h in a 40-foot container on MOL's 8,100-TEU MOL Competence this spring.

The container-type ballast water treatment system aims to lessen the work required for preliminary inspection, allowing for a considerable reduction in detailed pipe fitting and adjustment at the installation stage. The installation time has been shortened by an estimated seven days, compared to installing a system in an engine room, which requires more space.

The group added that these efforts come as it has been preparing for compliance with the IMO's Ballast Water Management Convention by accumulating experience in system installation and operation.