AMS acceptance means that vessel owners and operators are now permitted to use the SeaCURE ballast water treatment system in US waters.
SeaCURE has previously been approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and BSH, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany. Evoqua says that it will also will apply for full USCG type approval. Currently, no ballast water treatment system has full USCG type approval.
SeaCURE is a ballast water management system which eliminates the need for storing or handling chemicals onboard due to in-situ generation of sodium hypochlorite from the natural salinity in sea water. Sodium hypochlorite biocide generation in a side stream taken off the ballast water main minimizes footprint, making it a suitable choice for retrofits. The intake filter injects biocide into ballast seawater before it reaches the large surface filter intakes to reduce the growth of marine organisms that can clog the filters.
Biocide generation
The SeaCURE system is based on the tested Chloropac marine growth prevention system (MGPS), which uses electrochlorination biocide generation and injection treatment for sea water cooling systems.