UNDERSTANDING BALLAST TANK

A ballast tank is a compartment within a boat, ship or

other floating structure that holds water, which is used
as ballast to provide stability for a vessel. Using water
in a tank allows for easier adjustment of weight than
stone or iron ballast as was used in older vessels. It also
allows for ballast to be pumped out to temporarily
reduce the draft of the vessel when required to enter
shallower water.
What Is a Ballast Water System?

 A ballast water system allows a ship to pump water in and

out of very large tanks to compensate for a change in cargo
load, shallow draft conditions, or weather.
 The capacity of ballast water tanks might be millions of
gallons on a large vessel. This allows vessels to carry a light
or heavy load while maintaining ideal buoyancy and
handling conditions in all situations.
 A ship might discharge all ballast water tanks to pass a
shallow area or forward tanks only to raise the bow in rough
open seas.
 Physical components of the system include; raw water
intakes, large and small strainers, pumps, distribution pipes,
ballast water tanks, treatment system, discharge system, and
all the valves, sensors, and controls to run the equipment.
how the ballast system works

 How the ballast system works, in general is to

fill the ballast tank that is in the double
bottom, with sea water, taken from the
seachest. Through ballast pumps, and main
pipelines and branch pipes.
Ballast System Function


Ballast system is a system to be able to
position the ship in a balanced state both in the
front trim and rear trim, and the state of
rolling. In the planning is to enter the water as
a ballast material to position the ship can
return in a perfect position.
 Rules and Recommendations
 According to Volume III of BKI 1996 section 11 P, it is stated:
 • The suction side of the ballast water tank is arranged so that the trim
condition of the ballast water still remains at the pump.
• Ships that have a very wide double bottom tank are also equipped with a
suction side on the outside of the tank. Where the length of the ballast
water tank is more than 30 m.
 2) Pipe through the tank
Ballast water pipe should not be through the installation of drinking water
tanks, raw water tanks, fuel oil tanks, and lubricating oil tanks.
3) Piping System
• When a ballast water tank will be used especially as a hatch dryer, the
tank is also connected to the bilga system.
4) Ballast Pump
The quantity and capacity of the pump shall meet the operational
requirements of the vessel
Resolving Ballast Water Issues

 A ship, on the other hand, must be able to

discharge ballast water as quickly as cargo is
loaded. In emergency situations, ballast tanks
need to empty as quickly as possible. A quick
pass through most ballast water treatment
systems is not enough to kill all the organisms
that may be present.
Thanks For
Attention