This list of BWTS suppliers is meant to provide an accessible overview of the available systems while it also provides information on each BWTS’s type-approval status and method of treatment employed as stated on each system’s website.

It is not an exhaustive list of all the companies that produce treatment systems, and we refer to each system’s own website for the most up-to-date information regarding their type approval status and treatment method.

Ballast water treatment methods

There are many different ways to treat ballast water, but the three most common approaches include:

• Mechanical methods that include separation and filtration
• Physical methods that include ozone, electrical currents and UV radiation 
• Chemical solutions that use biocides or a form of chlorination. 

As seen in the overview, many systems combine the use of more methods to ensure full water treatment and compliance with the USCG and IMO regulations.

Testing needs and requirements

Commissioning testing ensures that ballast water treatment system installations actually perform according to type approval but differs from type approval testing by validating the specific system installation, including tanks, pipes and valves.

Once at sea, an installed BWTS could fail a Port State Control (PSC) inspection for a variety of reasons. Regular testing helps detect such failures and enables operators to take the necessary corrective actions to ensure compliance.

To easily test your ballast water, the BallastWISE test kit is completely portable, based on direct counting of organisms, and can be used by everyone. 

BallastWISE verifies that your ballast water complies with both IMO and USCG standards, it offers multiple layers of documentation with image analysis and Video Expert Review, and it automatically generates a 1-page document with results to easily include in your reporting.

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