An overview of ballast water treatment methods

One of the greatest threats to the world's oceans is the transfer and potential introduction of harmful organisms in environments to which they are not indigenous. Ballast water deposited by marine vessels has been identified as a key factor responsible for this transfer and introduction. The significance of transferral of species has led to diverse research and development into ballast water treatment methods. However, despite the number of ballast water management techniques in development, at present the exchange of ballast water in open oceans is the only management technique widely used. This paper provides an overview of Ballast Water Treatment techniques currently at a research or development stage. An assessment of the potential effectiveness of each method, its corrosion implications and economic cost are all presented together with preliminary recommendations and an outline of future work.