France-based water treatment specialist BIO-SEA, by BIO-UV Group will be hosting ballast water compliance appraisals during this year’s METS trade show to help yacht owners, managers and crews better navigate the complex requirements of the IMO BWM Convention.

The decision to hold individual customer meetings follows industry confusion after vessels below 50m in length have been found to be incompliant when operating in international waters without a ballast water treatment plant.

Yachts less than 50m in length are often considered recreational craft and exempt from the regulations. However, despite their size, some smaller vessels are over 400gt and have a ballast water capacity greater than 8m3. This means they must comply with the requirements set out in the International Maritime Organization BWM Convention.

Camille Cosson, Sales Manager – Yachts at BIO-SEA, by BIO-UV Group, said: “Some prospective customers struggle to understand the regulation and the need for a BWTS on their newbuilds. Some have realised they need to install a system at the outfitting stage, which of course results in substantial retrofit engineering, integration, delivery delays and increased costs.

“To end the confusion over which yachts require a BWTS and which ones do not, we are inviting yacht operators and builders to METS stand #07.533 to discuss the rules and their installation and operational requirements.”

In line with IMO Regulation B-3 (Ballast Water Management for Ships), every yacht needs to conduct ballast water management that at least meets the Convention’s requirements.

New yachts where keels are laid after 8 September 2017 are required to comply with the D-2 standard at delivery. For existing yachts, compliance depends on the renewal date of the International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) certificate. If the vessel is not subject to MARPOL Annex I IOPP Certification, then D-2 compliance is to be adopted no later than 8 September 2024.

Florian Cortes, Technical Director at BIO-SEA, by BIO-UV Group, added: “There are a number of yachts currently in operation that need to install a ballast water treatment system. With our 3D scanning and design capability we can find the optimum UV-based BWTS solution for all sizes of yacht, including superyachts and megayachts.”

BIO-UV Group has more than 30 yacht references for its BIO-SEA L series BWTS. “Overall feedback from end users with existing installations onboard is excellent: technical managers, chief engineers and captains from different ships are very satisfied with our system,” Cortes said.

With flow rates ranging from 13m3/h to 120m3/h, BIO-UV Group’s low-flow BIO-SEA   L range – one of the world’s most compact ballast water treatment system – is both USCG- and IMO-approved.

Supplied as either a modular or skid system, a BIO-SEA L unit can be available with CuNiFe pipework for enhanced corrosion protection and in a range of gloss finishes, including white. A drip tray, 9in or 15in auxiliary touch screens to operate the system remotely are additional options.

In addition to the yacht segment’s ballast water treatment requirements, BIO-SEA by BIO-UV Group representatives will be on hand to explain how the company’s proprietary UV-based water treatment technology can eradicate the viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other harmful micro-organisms typically found in yachts’ spas, swimming pools, showers, and galleys.

“UV-C rays act effectively on most microorganisms present in water. They penetrate these harmful species by directly attacking their DNA. Exposed to a lethal dose of UV-C light, they can no longer reproduce, they’re eradicated, mitigating the risk of passengers and crew falling ill,” said Cortes.