Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has announced that FineBallast OZ, an ozone-based ballast water treatment system co-developed by MOL, MOL Marine Consulting and others earned a certificate of compliance from the Japanese government, effective June 6, 2011.
The system was audited based on guidelines set out in the International Convention for the "Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (G8)," adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Certification required a full-scale on-land test of the system by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding and other participant companies, and an onboard test on the MOL-operated containership 'MOL Express'. Both tests verified the system's complete conformity to the ballast water treatment standard.
The system also acquired the final approval under the "Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems that Make Use of Active Substances (G9)" by the IMO at the end of September 2010.
The synergistic effect of a chemical killing treatment by the oxidative power of the active ingredient ozone, combined with a physical killing treatment using a specially designed pipe placed in the ballast water piping lines, combines to create a strong killing effect and a long-lasting bactericidal effect.
The treatment is performed only once, at the time the ballast water tanks are filled. There is no need for a chemical agent for ozone supply and storage, as the system produces the required amount of ozone as needed, extracting it from air.
Micro bubbles of ozone are poured into the system, achieving a high absorption efficiency and high contact efficiency against plankton and bacteria. Harmful substances remaining in ballast water are extracted by activated charcoal. This has no impact on the environment.