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UV technology is used in the marine industry to treat ballast water and as part of advanced wastewater (grey and black) purification and potable drinking water systems

Marine Water Purification with UV Solutions

Ultraviolet light is used for multiple applications in the marine industry, including to treat ballast water before discharge into the ocean, to provide potable drinking water on passenger and commercial ships, and treat wastewater from on-board laundries, kitchens and bathrooms.

ONBOARD DRINKING WATER

Making the best use of available water resources whilst at sea is a core feature of using disinfection and purification systems aboard merchant and commercial vessels. The versatile nature of UV technology means systems can be fitted into small spaces such as kitchens, individual cabins and as part of the larger, vessel-wide engineering set up. More on how UV helps to purify drinking water can be found here.

TREATING WASTEWATER SAFELY

Similarly, ensuring marine vessels are able to safely and efficiently recycle wastewater means UV technology is widely used aboard boats to help process grey and black wastewater. The systems are also used for cruise ships to clean spa and pool water.

BALLAST WATER TREATMENT

Many large shipping vessels such as container ships, military vessels and cruise liners use enormous amounts of ballast water for balancing their loads and therefore ensuring high levels of stability when they are at sea.

Ballast water carried by ships will contain organisms and pathogens commonly found where that water was loaded that could be harmful or invasive to native flora and fauna where the ballast water is later pumped out.

As global shipping traffic increases and environmental science highlights the potentially destructive impact of these practices, ballast water treatment regulations have been introduced to address the problem. UV based water treatment systems take up relatively little space making them ideal for retro fitting into existing engineering hold space.

On-board UV technology is proven to be a safe, commercially viable and environmentally-friendly method of treating ballast water, helping to render pathogens unable to replicate. This helps to protect ecosystems around the world without the use of additional harmful chemicals.

Q&A on Ballast Regulations

Benefits of using ultraviolet technology in marine disinfection systems include:

Smaller space requirements than chemical-based systems.
No change in taste of water after treatment.
No chemical by-products in the water.
Reduces chemical handling requirements.
Possibility to render inactive microbes that have developed a resistance to chemical treatments.

HOW IT WORKS - UV TECHNOLOGY IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY

Watch our short video on how UV technology is being put to good use in the marine industry.

Medium-pressure UV lamps are particularly well suited for use on ships (especially as a retrofit) as their shorter length allows for use in areas where available space is at a premium.

The video also explains how ultraviolet light works by 'disrupting' microorganisms DNA, rendering them harmless.

Need to find the right UV lamp?

Alpha-Purify manufacturer quality UV lamps for all types of water disinfection systems, including supplying many original equipment manufacturers with lamps as part of the installation of new systems. Email us today to find the right lamp for your system.