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In-Voyage Ballast Water Treatment System

Project description

Innovative onboard ballast water treatment

Every year, over 7 000 species are transported globally in ballast water, posing a grave ecological threat and causing significant economic harm to local aquatic ecosystems. An advanced ballast water treatment system (BWTS) effectively eliminates invasive species within the ballast water tank. This innovative solution operates autonomously and independently of other onboard procedures, treating the ballast water during the voyage by utilising excess heat from the vessel’s engines. This approach not only ensures effective treatment but also leads to substantial energy and cost savings. The EU-funded IV-BWTS project will secure approval to operate in the global market. The innovation targets vessel owners and managing companies of vessels.

Objective

Challenge
Ballast water is the dominant vehicle for transport of invasive species in the marine environment, threatening ecoenvironmental stability and diversity. More than 7,000 different species are transported in the 3-10 billion cubic meters of ballast water, which are let over board each year, posing threats of extensive ecological and economic damage to the local aquatic ecosystems. The financial losses caused by these transported invasive species amount to more than €50bn per year in both the EU and US.

Solution – the innovation
Bawat has developed a ballast water treatment system (BWTS) that eliminates invasive species in the ballast water tank using a new invention. The solution treats the ballast water in-voyage using excess heat from the vessel engines, thereby saving energy and costs.
The treatment system runs automatically and independently of other on-board procedures and is 50% cheaper to operate for the ship owners than any competing system, and easier to fit in both existing and new vessels.

Impact
The project will have significant impact on both the operation of ships globally and the aquatic environments. The invasive species in the ballast water tank will be eliminated and never pose a threat to distant environments. Ship owners will save time and money when ships can leave the harbour right after loading/unloading, and money will be saved as excess heat from the engines is used to eliminate the biological activity in the ballast water tank.

Project
The objective is to secure a US Coast Guard type approval, as this approval is a de-facto “licence to operate” in the global market.

Customers and market
The customers are vessel owners and managing companies of vessels, with bulk carriers as well as oil and chemical tankers being the key end-users. Bawat estimates sales of 80 systems, equivalent to a € 30m turnover in 2019, growing to 400 units/€ 192m in 2020. The global market is estimated at € 35bn for the years 2017-2027.

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017

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Coordinator

BAWAT AS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 410 495,11
Address
AGERN ALLE 24
2970 HORSHHOLM
Denmark

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Nordsjælland
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 4 673 669,90
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