Oceanchest - Beyond the Horizon: Investigation and development of an innovative technological approach to the treatment of ballast water in response to a global environmental issue.

Maritime traffic corresponds to over 90% of all products transported internationally (IMO
2008) and the shipping industry was responsible for 95% of UK imports in 2011 (Department
for Transport).2-3 million metric tonnes of ballast water are transferred globally each year
(Steichen et al, 2012). The water inside ballast tanks may contain alien species which, once
discharged and established into the new environment, may disrupt the balance of the marine
ecosystem (OECD, 2011). It is estimated up to 10000 species can be transported in ballast
tanks (Carlton, 1999), with 10 billion tonnes of ballast water transported at any moment
across the globe.
As a result, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has implemented the International
Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediment. Due to
the imminent introduction of this legislation, which requires all ships to manage the discharge
of ballast water, UK ports and shipping companies will be required to adapt existing fleets
(and perhaps ports) in order to provide adequate treatment facilities and comply with the
legislation. the United States Coast Guard (USCG) have introduced a separate policy which
succeeds that of the IMO in the specificity of its requirements.
Oceanchest will investigate the innovative application of a technology to treat ballast water
and meet the strictest of the 2 most widely adopted legislation, with the aim of reducing the
global economic, environmental and social impact of alien species invasion from ballast
water. This will be achieved through a variety of experiments developed with Liverpool John
Moores University