ANN ARBOR, MI, June 2, 2014 -- As of recently, the American Bureau of Shipping's (ABS) expertise will now be included in 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. 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. ABS will also evaluate the appropriateness of the systems for installation and operation onboard vessels.
NSF's IL partnership, formed in 2012, includes Retlif Testing Laboratories, the Great Ships Initiative, the Maritime Environmental Resource Center, and now ABS. The combined IL evaluates and tests technologies designed to treat ballast water on ships to meet the USCG requirements. Importantly, 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.
ABS is a not-for-profit organization that operates as a classification society. Classification societies verify that marine vessels and offshore structures comply with rules that the society has developed to assess the design and construction of new vessels and the integrity of existing vessels. The inclusion of ABS in the IL partnership brings an additional layer of credibility and experience to the program.
Ballast water management system manufacturers apply to NSF International and the USCG for testing, review and evaluations in anticipation of compliance and type approval by the USCG. NSF coordinates testing among all partner organizations, including preparation of test plans, review of test data (technical and quality assurance) and preparation of the final report for submittal to the USCG. Experienced ABS staff will evaluate BWMS material design and construction for compliance with USCG regulations and for appropriateness for installation and operation onboard operating vessels. In the same manner, ABS will evaluate the content of the BWMS operation, maintenance and safety manual.
NSF International has provided support to the USCG for more than 30 years in various testing capacities and managed the U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Verification Program's Water Quality Protection Center (WQPC) for more than 15 years. The WQPC, with valuable contributions from many ballast water treatment stakeholders, developed the protocols used for this BWMS testing.
See also:
"NSF to provide ballast water management system testing"
"Ballast water treatment system accepted into Coast Guard Technology Evaluation Program"
About NSF International
NSF International is an independent global organization that writes standards, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment (nsf.org). Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. NSF International is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment. For more information, visit www.nsf.com.
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