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provide training at their headquarters, such as the UK’s Coldharbour Marine. Its chief executive, Andrew Marshall, said that its programme is a combination of classroom-based theory and practical ‘hands-on’ style training, operating the equipment in a simulated shipboard environment. All its systems are commissioned by Coldharbour’s own engineers, rather than by subcontractors, he said. Ecochlor also involves its experienced technicians in commissioning its systems, said its founder and president Tom Perlich. This extends into their early operation and includes crew training, which will soon be supplemented by video and web-based training. Desmi Ocean Guard’s systems are “extremely simple, so a few hours of training is sufficient,” said Rasmus Folsø, the company’s chief executive. It offers on-site training as part of system commissioning and dedicated training courses that can take place at the customer’s offices or its own offices. So far, however, “it has been sufficient to conduct crew training when we commission the systems,” he said. SunRui also focuses on onboard training for crews during commissioning but is now preparing its global service network to provide on-site training if customers ask for it. Ian Stentiford, global vice president of Evoqua Water Technologies summed up its approach to training by saying “it really comes down to what the customer wants.” It can provide training within its own facilities, through its engineers on vessels during commissioning or during maintenance visits. “We are trying to make our system as simple as possible so that training needs are minimised,” he said.
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Optimarin supports manager’s training initiative Unless a ship’s crew is properly trained to operate its ballast water management system (BWMS) “it costs money in servicing and broken parts and gives the captain a headache in running the ship,” the chief executive of Norway-based Optimarin, Tore Andersen, told BWTT. “There is no issue if you run the system correctly, as set out in its operating manual.” He was reflecting on lessons learned during the company’s shipboard type-approval tests carried out on board the 50,000 dwt bulk carrier Saga Future, owned by the Norway-based NYK Line subsidiary Saga Shipholding (Norway). For these tests, the ship’s crew had been fully trained and their feedback was positive. “The crew said that once they have learned how to use it, it is an easy operation.” But when that knowledge is passed on to subsequent crew, “then you get a different answer.” In response to this, Optimarin is working
“It costs money in servicing and broken parts and gives the captain a headache in running the ship”
with the ships’ manager, Anglo Eastern Ship Management in Hong Kong, to provide shorebased training on its BWMS. A system was installed at Anglo Eastern’s training centre in Mumbai, followed by another in its centre in Manila, which went into use during March. These installations will not be just for Anglo Eastern’s use, however. “The idea is that we can offer training to all our customers at these two schools,” Mr Andersen said.
Survey suggests onboard training must cover the basics Officers and crew must receive proper training in ballast water management, according to IMO and USCG requirements, and there is anecdotal evidence that this support is much-needed. Alan Clare, fleet superintendent at Ireland’s Corrib Ship Management, conducted some research among ships’ crew as part of his selection process to choose a suitable ballast water management system (BWMS) for his company’s ships (see page 65). Describing his findings to the Sixth IMarEST Ballast Water Technology Conference in January, he revealed an unexpected result: “most of the seagoing engineer respondents were not aware of the convention and that a treatment system would have to be installed.” If his findings are representative, then onboard training must include some fundamental topics. One course that does start
with some basic material is available from The Marpol Training Institute in the US, which has an established two-hour Navigating Ballast Water Management course that can be followed either on board or ashore. Norway’s Seagull provides a one-hour course for both deck and engine crew that also covers a broad brief, starting with the background to ballast water management and the environmental threats and leading on to ballast water management techniques. Videotel of the UK revised its Ballast Water Management training package in October, shortly after IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention was ratified. It covers ballast water management plan implementation, stressing the need for proper record keeping and operator training on a compliant BWMS. BWTT
Alan Clare, Corrib Ship Management (credit: Riviera Maritime Media)
“Most seagoing engineers were not aware of the convention”
Ballast Water Treatment Technology 2017