Standards for ballast water treatment are expected to improve
Standards for ballast water treatment are expected to improve once a convention by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is ratified – and Cape Town-based Resources Ballast Technologies (RBT) aims to capitalise on this.
The Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments is aimed at addressing the spread of animals, invasive alien species, bacteria and viruses to other waters by vessels and carriers. It is estimated that the Great Lakes in Africa suffer losses worth more than $100bn because of contamination.
Africa has some of the fastest-growing economies in the world and the region is expected to continue with this upward trend. Ports in countries such as Angola, Namibia and South Africa are key drivers of trade between Africa and the rest of the world.
RBT was awarded a certificate from the International Maritime Organisation earlier this month, which gives it access to an industry worth an estimated $34bn worldwide. Type approval – as the certificate is called – is the final endorsement the body can give to a ballast technology company and RBT aims to also get the approval of Det Norske Veritas – one of the major companies in the classification society business.
Drafted in 2004, the convention targets, among other things, the inspection, certification of ballast water samples and records for “ships to which the convention applies”. The convention will be enforced once states representing the world’s maritime industries ratify it.
Written by KHULEKANI MAGUBANE for Business Day
You may viw full article by clicking at the source below
Source: BDLive