In 2010 DHI saw the opportunity to assist developers of ballast water management systems with the evaluation of the systems' processing efficiency.
DESMI Ocean Guard A/S was the first client at the DHI Ballast Water Centre, and they are the first to successfully complete the IMO required land-based test in brackish and freshwater at the DHI test facility in Hundested, Denmark. Taking the significant number of existing inland ports into consideration, documentation of treatment efficacy in freshwater is important for developers of ballast water management systems. Testing with fresh water is a practical and methodical challenge that can now be handled by DHI.
Having achieved the approval, DESMI Ocean Guard A/S offers a system which handles seawater at all salinities and fresh water in compliance with the current IMO requirements. DHI is now carrying out the shipboard test for the system, which is expected to be fully approved and certified in early 2012.
DESMI Ocean Guard A/S is a company established by A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S, DESMI A/S and Skjølstrup & Grønborg ApS. The company develops systems for removal of living organisms from vessels’ ballast water. It is anticipated that between 50,000 and 70,000 vessels need to install such equipment before 2019.
DHI Ballast Water Centre has test facilities in Denmark and Singapore, and DHI is thus one of the leading providers of third party testing and evaluation of ballast water management system.
