GREEN4SEA Ballast Water Forum

 

Apostolos Belokas, Founder & Managing Editor, GREEN4SEA

Apostolos is a Maritime Safety, Quality & Environmental Expert, Consultant, Trainer and Project Manager with more than a 20-year background in shipping as Technical, Marine, Safety & Training Superintendent and Consultant. He entered the industry back in early 90’s as Engineering Superintendent with a leading ship manager operating a mixed fleet of bulk and oil/chemical tankers. He then shifted to regulatory compliance and QHSE as superintendent and later as a Consultant and Trainer. Apostolos has successfully completed a wide range of QHSE projects including 250+ management system projects (ISM/ISO 9001-14001-18001/TMSA/MLC), 500 vessel and office audits to various standards and he has trained more than 8,000 people in a wide variety of QHSE subjects. He has also presented and chaired to more than 40 conferences. He holds Mechanical Engineering Bachelor and Master’s specialising in Energy & Environment and Master’s Degree in Maritime Business and Business Administration (MBA), all of them awarded with distinction. Apostolos is the Managing Director of SQE MARINE, SQE ACADEMY and Managing Editor of SAFETY4SEA and GREEN4SEA.

 

Peter Lundahl Rasmussen, Head of Maritime Information, BIMCO

Mr. Rasmussen is a Master Mariner with some 12 years’ seagoing experience gained on board chemical and oil tankers trading worldwide before he joined BIMCO as technical consultant in 1996. His career path included a stint as “Fleet Director “ from 2007 to 2009, responsible for the safe operation of some 25 ships ranking from Ro-Ro’s, multipurpose ships, chemical tankers, to a couple of VLCCs. Mr. Rasmussen is presently serving in the position as Head of Maritime Information at BIMCO and holds some 18 years’ experience at NGO level in the marine environmental protection and safety related work within the IMO and regulatory fora. He has recently been nominated as responsible for the BIMCO Shipping KPI. He has also chaired a number of BWM conferences and given numerous lectures and presentations on the subject. He was also cowriter and technical advisor for the BIMCO/Fathom BWM Step-By Step Guide publication. Mr. Rasmussen is, amongst others, a member of the following marine industry bodies: Nautical Institute (FNI), International Federation of Shipmasters (MIFSMA), Institute of Marine Engineering Science and Technology (MIMarEST), International Bunker Industry Association (MIBIA) and Freeman of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners (HCMM Freeman).

 

Jad Mouawad, Director, Mouawad Consulting AS

Jad Mouawad (M.Sc. Marine Engineering) founded Mouawad Consulting AS in September 2013 in Norway after previously heading the Environmental Protection section at Det Norske Veritas (currently DNV GL). Mouawad Consulting AS currently delivers Type Approval advisory services for manufacturers of BWMS and retrofit services for ships. We are working with more than 120 companies, including ship owners, manufacturers of BWMS, class societies, governments, and shipyards. Mr. Mouawad is part of the Norwegian delegations on ballast water to the PPR and MEPC. He is regularly called upon as an expert in ballast water matters at international conferences and meetings.

 

Andreas Zontanos, Director, Argo Navis

Andreas Zontanos holds a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer diploma from NTUA, and a M.Sc. Degree in Precision Engineering Metrology by Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK. Before establishing ARGO NAVIS, he has worked in consulting firms as junior and later senior consultant, in two (2) Greek ship management companies as superintendent engineer, led on-site newbuilding supervision teams in two (2) bulk carrier newbuilding projects in Croatia and China for Greek ship-owners and worked as an independent engineer conducting surveys and supervising conversions and repair works.

 

 

Stamatis Fradelos, Principal Engineer, ABS Operational & Environmental Performance (OEP)

Stamatis Fradelos is Principal Engineer in the Operational Environmental Performance (OEP) department of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). The OEP department provides technical support on energy efficiency, vessel performance and environmental matters.

Prior to joining ABS, Stamatis worked as a marine field surveyor for five years at the Hellenic Register of Shipping and spent six years at Lloyd’s Register as a Plan Approval Surveyor.

Stamatis has a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (NTUA), a M.Sc. in Marine Technology and Science (NTUA) and a M.Sc. in Engineering – Economic Systems (NTUA, UoA, UoP).

 

Thanos Theocharis, Regulatory Affairs European Liaison, Piraeus, International Registries Inc

Mr. Theocharis joined International Registries, Inc.’s (IRI’s) Piraeus office in June 2007. Since 2009, he was promoted to Regulatory Affairs European Liaison, and is responsible for attending International Maritime Organization (IMO) meetings and assisting in flag State policy development. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Theocharis worked for three (3) years as a Marine Superintendent with Louis Cruise Lines, and for three (3) years with Liger Marine Consultants where he provided consultation on matters of cruise ship safety and security. He received his Bachelor of Science Honors in Maritime Studies and Master of Science from Liverpool John Moores University. He is currently completing a Diploma in Marine Surveying at Lloyd’s Maritime Academy.

 

 

Stelios N. Mavrelos, Technical Director – Capital Ship Management Corp.

 

Dr William H.Moore, Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention, The American P&I Club

Dr. Moore is the Senior Vice President for Loss Prevention at the Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., managers of the American Club. In that capacity, he brings 21 years of experience to the development and implementation of the Club’s loss prevention initiatives to assist shipowners in the reduction of maritime risks and incidents. He formerly worked at ABS in New York and Gard Services in Norway. He acquired his doctorate degree at the University of California at Berkeley in Naval Architecture and is also a graduate of Ocean Systems Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Moore is also formerly the Chairman of the IMO’s Joint Maritime Safety Committee & Marine Environmental Protection Committee’s working group on the Human Element.

 

Håkan Persson, Regional Business Manager PureBallast, Alfa Laval

Håkan Persson holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Sweden, and additional studies in Chemical Engineering and Business Studies form the University of Edinburgh. Before entering the world of Ballast Water, he has held various positions within Sales and Business Development in

 

 

Dimitrios Tsoulos, Regional Sales Manager Marine Systems SeaCURE BWMS, Evoqua Water Technologies Ltd/ Greek Branch

Dimitrios Tsoulos is the Regional Sales Manager for Electrocatalytic (an Evoqua brand) Products and Systems. Located in Athens Greece, he is responsible for the territories of South Europe and Middle East. Tsoulos, is also acting as the Managing Director of the Evoqua Water Technologies Greek Branch. He combines a strong technical know-how with a solid business background and proven work experience. Tsoulos holds a Batchelor in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Electrical Power Engineering and Management.

Dimitrios Tsoulos, as a Project Engineer and then as a certified Project Manager in Siemens, was responsible for a number of Electrotechnical projects in naval and commercial maritime industry between 2001 and 2004. Since 2005 he was leading the Water Technologies Business Unit of Siemens in Greece and since 2010 was a member of the Ballast Water Management System global development and sales team. After the successful Water Technologies Business unit divestment from Siemens in 2012 and establishment of Evoqua WT, he is responsible for the Electocatalytic Products, Systems and Services for the regional Marine, Oil & Gas and Power market, with focus on the Ballast Water Management System initiative in the assigned regions.

 

Konstantinos Stampedakis, General Director, ERMA FIRST ESK Engineering Solutions S.A

Konstantinos is a Chemical and Process Engineer, graduate of the University of Surrey. Having completed his post-graduate studies (Master in Science in Water and Environmental Engineering) and having acquired further academic experiences as a temporary academic assistant at the university, he began his career in Thames Water Ltd., in the sector of waste and potable water management. Returning to Greece, he joined ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ENGINEERING S.A. as the Director of Research, Development and Engineering Department.

In 2009, Konstantinos co-founded ERMA FIRST S.A. and he currently holds the position of the General Director.

One of his great achievements is the development of a Ballast Water Treatment System which makes use of active substances. The main aim of the project has been to research and develop methodologies and technologies for preventing the introduction of nonindigenous species through ships’ ballast water.

Some of the most important moments in his career were when he was on- site manager on the United Nations Development Program for the Oil Spill Cleanup of three sites between Jadra and Ras Al Saadiyat in Lebanon and on- site manager for the spill response caused from the cruise vessel Sea Diamond wreck.

 

Andrew Marshall, CEO Coldharbour Marine

Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in international business development and in pioneering of new technologies into emerging markets. He has extensive experience of the engineering and high technology sectors, particularly in the area of taking innovative products through to commercialisation throughout the world.

 

ABS

As a leading international classification society ABS pursues its mission to serve the public interest as well as the needs of our members and clients by promoting the security of life, property and preserving the natural environment. ABS uses its experience to assist in the realization of new generation vessels and has a continuous investment in technology research and development and practical initiatives to support future marine and offshore advances and improvements in operational, safety and environmental performance. ABS undertakes ongoing assessment of new environmental technologies which contributes to guidance and guides such as those for ballast water management, LNG fuelled vessels and services to assist in the implementation of EEDI, SEEMP and CEEMP. ABS provides a global service through four operating divisions: Americas, Pacific, China and Europe, each with a network of local offices to support client operations. Fully integrated fleet management and maintenance software is provided by the ABS Nautical Systems.

Website: ww2.eagle.org

 

Alfa Laval

Website: www.alfalaval.com

 

ARGO NAVIS Marine Consulting and Engineering Ltd

ARGO NAVIS Marine Consulting and Engineering Ltd. was established in Athens, Greece, in 2009 by a team of Engineers having served Ship Management companies as Technical Consultants and/or members of In-house Technical Departments.

The ARGO NAVIS Ltd. team warrants that always carefully selected individuals and firms, all specialized in different areas of technical consulting services join forces in order to truly offer consulting services in a cost-efficient and timely manner.

With a diverse range of planning, design, and engineering services, ARGO NAVIS Ltd. combines the classic art of naval architecture with cutting edge computer technology, offering a distinctive blend of theoretical knowledge and extensive hands-on field experience, resulting in optimum, practical, and cost effective solutions.

Our vision serves as a guide for every aspect of our company by describing what we need to accomplish in order to continue achieving sustainable, quality growth.

We will increase the value of our company and our global portfolio by surpassing our client’s expectations and achieving market leadership and operating excellence through continuous development driven by cooperation, integrity, and innovation.

ARGO NAVIS Ltd. commits to solutions which benefit our clients, undertaking the responsibility to successfully manage our in-house and associate resources in order to carry out technical consulting tasks required while rendering quality and prompt services in a fair, cost efficient, and fully transparent manner.

Website: www.argonavis.gr

 

Coldharbour Marine

Coldharbour Marine Limited, based in Linby in the United Kingdom can trace its origins back more than 35 years.

Our products and designs have been used extensively in both the marine and offshore sectors over many years. Now, for the first time we are bringing all our products together under one brand name.

At Coldharbour we provide practical solutions to technical problems.

Website: www.coldharbourmarine.com

 

ERMA FIRST ESK Engineering Solutions S.A

ERMA FIRST is a company consisting of scientists with high experience and profound knowledge that designs and manufactures innovative ballast water treatment systems in compliance with the latest legislation.

The advanced ERMA FIRST Ballast Water Treatment System holds Type Approval by IMO, class type approval by Lloyd’s Register and AMS approval letter by US Coast Guard.

ERMA FIRST BWTS is an autonomous and reliable solution for several types and sizes of vessels. ERMA FIRST S.A. has undertaken to incorporate internationally recognized ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 quality management standards into our work processes.

Nowadays, ERMA FIRST has a prestigious reference list comprised of ship-owners and shipyards in Greece, China, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Japan, Korea, US, etc.

Website: www.ermafirst.com

 

Evoqua Water Technologies

Evoqua Water Technologies is the global leader in helping municipalities and industrial customers protect and improve the world’s most fundamental natural resource: water. Evoqua has a more than 100-year heritage of transforming water and wastewater through innovation and industry firsts, market-leading expertise, and unmatched customer service. Its cost-effective and reliable treatment systems and services ensure uninterrupted quantity and quality of water, enable regulatory and environmental compliance, increase efficiency through water reuse, and prepare customers for next-generation demands. For more information, visit www.evoqua.com.

Evoqua possesses probably the largest installation reference list of Marine Growth Prevention Systems (MGPS) for Marine industry of any company in the world. Having completed more than 2500 Chloropac® installations over the last 35 years in all parts of the world and in any type of vessels, Evoqua is an experienced global company in the provision of high quality equipment and services for the demanding marine industry. This experience with Chloropac® Marine Growth Prevention System, has allowed Evoqua to evolve the Chloropac® into the SeaCURE Ballast Water Management System.

Website: www.evoqua.com

 

International Registries (IRI) / The Marshall Islands Registry

International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) provide administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime and Corporate Registries. The RMI Registry is the third largest registry in the world, surpassing 138 million gross tons and 3,956 vessels at the end of October 2016. IRI has a network of 27 worldwide offices that have the ability to register a vessel, including those under construction, record a mortgage or financing charter, incorporate a company, issue seafarer documentation, and service clientele.

The quality of the RMI fleet can be measured by the RMI’s continued White List status on both the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs). The RMI also meets the flag criteria for a low risk ship under the Paris and Tokyo’s MoU’s New Inspection Regimes, and has qualified for the United States Coast Guard’s Qualship 21 roster for 12 consecutive years, which is unprecedented.

The most important asset to the Registry is its customers and IRI strives to provide them with full service from any office, 24 hours a day.

Website: www.register-iri.com

GREEN4SEA is pleased to announce the successful completion of the 2016 GREEN4SEA Ballast Water Forum which took place on Thursday, December 15^th, 2016 in Eugenides Foundation, Athens attracting more than 450 delegates representing a number of 225 organizations.

A unique panel of 12 experts presented latest developments surrounding the Ballast Water Management Convention following MEPC70 and discussed how industry may be prepared for the implementation due on September 2017. The event organized by GREEN4SEA and sponsored by ABS, Alfa Laval, ARGO NAVIS Marine Consulting and Engineering, Coldharbour Marine, GREEN4SEA, ERMA FIRST ESK Engineering Solutions, Evoqua Water Technologies, International Registries (IRI), SAFETY4SEA, SMART4SEA, SQEACADEMY and SQEMARINE.

During his welcome address Apostolos Belokas, Founder & Managing Editor of GREEN4SEA, as the Event Facilitator, outlined the objectives of the forum, including enhancing ballast water awareness and helping shipowners/ operators to take the right decisions now that the time has come for BWTS installations on board.

Presentations were given in three panels as follows:

Panel 1 : Stakeholder Views

Apostolos Belokas, Managing Editor, GREEN4SEA, opened the conference outlining the agenda from latest Policy development views and challenges for the market stakeholders to providing advice and guidance to the remaining of the industry along with future wish list to make BWMC to work. He highlighted that despite 5,000 BWTS installed very limited feedback has been surfaced and urged all involved parties to start the dialogue and share their views for the greater good of the industry and the environment in general.

Peter Lundahl Rasmussen, Head of Maritime Information, BIMCO, discussed about the impact that MEPC 70 decisions on BWMC may have on ship operations and advised owners, if needed, to explore possibilities for delaying their ships compliance date. Concluding his presentation, he expressed his aspirations for the future for a final IMO agreement on D-2 implementation date, more USCG type approvals, contingency plans in place in case of ships with noncompliant water for port and terminals, appropriate amendments of the Convention, BWM disposal for ports and terminals in case of BWMS malfunction or noncompliant water and also adequate reception facilities for sediments in ports.

Mouawad Consulting, Director, Mouawad Consulting AS, gave advice to ship owners on how to tackle the complicated regulatory landscape surrounding the implementation of the BWMC. He addresses major challenges and explained that IMO latest developments with regards to the implementation dates, new G8 type approval guidelines adopted with deadlines for its implementation, the USCG issuing a type approval certificate lacking basic information on the system, and the EPA´s intention to release a new version of the VGP, all collectively put the maritime industry in a large uncertainty to when ships ought to retrofit those systems and which systems ensure compliance with the regulations worldwide.

Andreas Zontanos, Director, Argo Navis, tried to answer to the most common question regarding the BWTS retrofit; how much it will cost. He said that the budget of retrofitting a BWTS (both equipment price and installation cost) is not easy to estimate. Actually, he explained, it is impossible before at least the preliminary approach and plan are available to the decision makers. Even after that, experience is required for final budgeting and experience is presently very scarcely available. During his presentation, he shared a recent case study of sister vessels’ retrofitting to exhibit the factors which affect the cost and the significant benefits and direct savings which experience brings.

Panel 2 : Stakeholder Views

Stamatis Fradelos, Principal Engineer, ABS Operational & Environmental Performance (OEP), provided insight into the current landscape following MEPC 70. He said that recent decisions at the IMO have delayed agreement to a single implementation scheme for complying with the D-2 biological standard until the next MEPC 71 meeting which is scheduled for July 2017. Meanwhile, the USCG has issued its first type approval for a ballast water management system that satisfies US standards. Taking into account the ongoing complexities between IMO and USCG requirements, he advised owners and operators to consider both regulatory schemes as they develop their compliance plans and make decisions about their fleets.

Thanos Theocharis, Regulatory Affairs European Liaison, International Registries Inc., discussed about issues related to IOPP Renewal Survey from Flag perspective. He said that no special authorization from the RMI Maritime Administrator is required to carry out an early IOPP renewal survey or to issue the new certificate. Furthermore, he said, RMI recommends that the IOPP renewal survey is recoupled with the other statutory surveys as soon as is appropriate, although it should be anticipated that possible further amendments to the BWM Convention and/or other national requirements might alter the timing of recoupling.

Stelios N. Mavrelos, Technical Director, Capital Ship Management Corp., gave a presentation on the implementation of BWM Convention from the ship manager’s perspective. He addressed briefly the current BWM regulatory regime and expressed considerations as whether the shipping industry as a whole is ready to implement the Convention. He finally presented the different options available for ship management and appropriate steps for the effective implementation of the BWM Convention on September 2017.

William H. Moore, Senior Vice President of Loss Prevention, The American P&I Club, presented the Club Perspective towards BWMC implementation. He addressed the biggest challenges for compliance with global ballast water management regulations and shared potential P&I considerations including fines & penalties, malfunction or inability to use BWTS and risks to ship’s strength and stability due to ballast water movements. He suggested BWTS vendors to strive to meet USCG standards in conjunction to the new unified IMO G8 standards and highlighted the critical role that service providers will have to play.

Panel 3 : Maker’s views

Håkan Persson, Regional Business Manager PureBallast, Alfa Laval, explained the challenges in BWM Convention implementation from maker’s perspective. His said that his company is gaining continuous experience in BWT for the last 15 years and their BWTS , tested and approved in all three water qualities, is expected to be USCG approved. Lessons learned so far have unveiled that it is essential for BWTS, makers to invest time in the project; identify the needs of their fleet, assure availability of spare parts, technical support and advise for the life time of the system and look closely at the Total Cost of ownership (Installation cost, Life Cycle Cost, Operational cost, and cost for non-compliance).

Dimitrios Tsoulos, Regional Sales Manager, Evoqua Water Technologies, gave a presentation into the additional value and return on investment that a BWMS can provide through optional dual purpose function as a marine growth prevention system and also unique features that helps to keep the filter at peak operation in some of the most turbid ports around the world. Based on real life experience, he explained how Evoqua has been able to prolonged filter screen life from 5 to 10 years or more with reduced clogging risk utilizing a patented trickle method within a BWMS. The patented ORP control logic of the system was also addressed. He also referred to their BWMS which uses a combination of filtration followed by in-situ production of biocide from seawater via electrochlorination. The system is currently in the final phases of testing for USCG Type Approval under NSF International in the USA, he said.

Konstantinos Stampedakis, Managing Director of ERMA First ESK Engineering, shared his views on the latest policy developments surrounding BWMC. He noted that with the revised IMO G8 guidelines in place but without any clear BWTS installation implementation dates, stakeholders should start interacting. Furthermore, open discussion between regulators, users, BWTS vendors, FSAs and Classes is imperative. Incentives to the vessels equipped with a BWTS to operate their BWTS will promote the knowledge, through data collection, operation and troubleshooting experience. He said that there is need for crew familiarization with BWM procedures and BWTS optimization in order the industry to get ready for smooth installation and BWTS easy to operate and maintain. Till then we will keep carrying stowaways in vessels ballast water tanks, he stated.

Andrew Marshall, CEO Coldharbour Marine Ltd., gave his advice on how to make the choice for the right BWTS having in mind the revised G8 Guidelines and all latest developments which create confusion and uncertainty to owners. He said that the current regulatory landscape and the growing number of worrying issues concerning the effective implementation of the BWMC suggest that things might not be quite as simple as industry first thought.

All sessions ended with a round table discussion and exchange with the audience.

Concluding the 2016 GREEN4SEA Ballast Water Forum Mr Apostolos Belokas, Event Facilitator, thanked all delegates for their participation, the sponsors for their support and the speakers for their excellent presentations and also the organizing team of the event for their contribution towards forum objectives.

Forum Evaluation

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• Speaker’s quality
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Participation in the survey will not only enable us to get your structured feedback but also to enhance the quality of the event and the overall delegate experience!

The ONLINE evaluation form is available to complete anonymously online here.

 

Forum Presentations in PDF

Speaker presentations in current and ALL previous GREEN4SEA forums in PDF are available for digital subscribers ONLY .

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Video Presentations

All presentations will be made available on YouTube in high resolution approx. two weeks after the event at the GREEN4SEA Channel

 

Event Photos

Available at GREEN4SEA Flickr

 

Paper Magazine Coverage

Event will be covered on the next GREEN4SEA Log due to be issued on Winter 2017!