Ballast water treatment.
Ballast water, an environmental issue
To ensure their stability and balance, steel-hulled ships take in seawater and store it in large tanks called ballast tanks. This water compensates for weight variations caused by changes in cargo and improves maneuverability. When the vessel is fully loaded, this ballast is no longer needed and the water is discharged.
For passengers and crew, ballast water is a guarantee of safety. However, it also poses a threat to the environment. Small animals, plants, algae and microorganisms (plankton, microplankton and bacteria) are collected along with the water during ballasting operations. These species are then released into the sea or ocean when the ballast water is discharged.
When introduced into a natural environment that is not their own, they disrupt their new habitat. In the absence of natural predators, they can become invasive and outcompete local fauna and flora.
What does the law say?
France signed the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments in 2017. It therefore requires all ships operating within its territorial waters to:
- renew their ballast water while at sea;
- or be equipped on board with a ballast water treatment system.
The implementation of these regulations is gradual. Currently, the treatment system is mandatory only for ships built since 2017. However, by 2024, all vessels must be equipped with a ballast water management system.
La Méridionale equips all its vessels with an environmentally friendly ballast water treatment system.
Committed to the protection of marine species, our shipping company did not wait for the convention to come into force before taking action. All La Méridionale vessels are equipped with an ultraviolet ballast water management system. This technology meets the world's most demanding standards without the use of chemicals.
This solution combines a pre-filter, which removes suspended particles and purifies the water, with a UV filter, which neutralizes any remaining microorganisms. During ballasting operations, the water is filtered and treated with UV light. It is exposed to ultraviolet treatment again during deballasting.
Like shore-side electrical connection for vessels and the particle filter, ballast water management helps make your crossing to Corsica or Morocco more environmentally friendly.
