ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The NSF International Independent Laboratory (IL), the first designated by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to test ballast water management systems (BWMS) for U.S. type approval, will now include the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) expertise, according to a press release.
ABS will complete design/construction and documentation reviews as part of the type approval, and will work with three other IL partners to maximize the value of USCG type approval testing for BWMS manufacturers, the release reported.
ABS will also evaluate the appropriateness of the systems for installation and operation onboard vessels, noted the release.
NSF’s IL partnership, formed in 2012, continued the release, includes Retlif Testing Laboratories, the Great Ships Initiative, the Maritime Environmental Resource Center and now ABS.
According to the release, USCG approval of onboard BWMS is required for vessels entering and discharging treated ballast water in U.S. waters to prevent the spread of non-native aquatic species in lakes, rivers and coastal waters.
