Ballast water laboratory and testing of ballast water on board ships

According to the Regulations on Ballast Water Treatment on Ships, ballast water must be treated using an IMO and/or USCG type-approved ballast water treatment system (BWMS) on board the ship.

IMO requirements (IMO Resolution MEPC.325(75)) also state that every new installation of BWMS on board ships after 01.06.2022 must be verified with a biological test before the ship can continue sailing. This is called an IMO-commissioning test (IMO BWM.2/Circ.42/Rev.2), and is carried out by an approved ballast laboratory.

NIVA's ballast laboratory is the only expert group approved by DNV and ABS in Norway for IMO-commissioning testing on board ships.

Biological water quality of ballast water at discharge shall meet both IMO and USCG requirements after water treatment from an IMO and/or USCG type-approved ballast water treatment system (BWMS) on board the ship (see table below).

Size class	Criteria
≥ 50 μm	< 10 viable organisms per m³
≥ 10 μm-50 μm	<10 viable organisms per mL

According to Vessel General Permit (VGP) 2013 requirements from USEPA, each ship is responsible for taking ballast water samples at discharge at least once a year for both microbiological and chemical analysis, using an approved laboratory.

Our experts regularly visit ships in Norwegian and European ports to take samples and analyze the ballast water on board the ship and/or in our bacterial laboratory. We offer the following tests on board ships:

Sampling and analysis of ballast water according to IMO requirements and/or USCG requirements.
IMO commissioning/compliance test according to IMO requirements.
EPA VGP 2013 test in accordance with US EPA requirements.
Risk assessment of ballast water discharge according to IMO requirements. IMO requirements for both ships and mobile hulls without BWMS (when scrapping ships or shipbuilding).