Oceansaver

Transport of micro-'organisms in ballast wat~r represents a major contributor to spreading of invasive, non native exotic species into new ecosystems whichcanresult in serious effects on sensitive ecological communities around the world, ,Bothregions in the No'rthSea and the Mediterranean have experienced uncontrolled growth of killeralgae" reaching pest proportions in many areas and causing huge economic impact by killing fish in fish farms' The degree of microbiological growth depend in several facto rs such as water temperature, sunlight and the amount of nutrients in the waterO,21, and microbiological growth in ballast tanks results in increased maintenance of these tanks including use of VQC containin,g tank coating products. Microbiological growt h, and especially of sulphate reducing bacteria, is 'enhanced in ballast tanks where sediments have accumulated due to ballast water not being filtered by intake, as the situation is for most ships today. In 1997 the Commission proposed a European Parlia ment and Council Directive establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy (Water Framework Directive, WFD).This Directive will replace, the emission control policy established under Council Directive 76/464/EEC, and be the WFD will be the basic legislation for the protection of the European aquatic environment. Our project will directly contribute to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive by contributing to reduction in water pollution and maintaining the biodiversi ty in coastal areas and waterways across the EU by contributing to reduction in spreading of non-native exotic micro-organisms to vulnerable ecosystems, the IPPC Directive, i.e. the "Council Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (96/61/EEC)" and also other directives. The global need for a Ballast Water Treatment system that meets the coming IMQ objectives for BWT systems. Every year more than 10.000 M tons of ballast water is transpotred around the world. The objective for th is project is to through an innovative feed back controlled ozone arid nitrogen injection technology to design and prototype build a cost effective Ballast Water Treatment system for use on board ships. The innovations necessary to achieve this are (1) a n innovative and patentable injector unit for an accurate injection and ispersion of ozone, (2) a novel nitrogen injector unit for super stauration of ballast water and (3) a feed back controlling unit to control the injected amounts through sensors fed feed back control. The short time value for the global BWT systems (2003-2008) is estimated to give an annual EU market of 1994m, which with a 6 % market penetration adds up to ¿12m in the EU market. The long time market (2008 2015) is estimated to be 1 ,1 Bn p.a. which with a 9% market penetration in the EU market, and including the service/maintenance market, and secondary markets adds up to a global market vale of ¿11 Om annually in the period up to 2015.