In January, the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute - Great Waters Research Collaborative and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration awarded a $600,000 grant to a consortium consisting of Bawat, Duluth Seaway Port Authority and AMI Engineering for work under the Great Lakes Ballast Water Research and Development Plan. The objective of this project is to evaluate the feasibility and significant impacts of ballast water reception facilities within the Great Lakes.
The Bawat mobile ballast water treatment solution is a compact pastuerization system that is placed in a container and can easily be moved to different sites or or placed on a vessel. Bawat’s mobile ballast water management system allows ballast water treatment on land or barge in ports, terminals and shipyards. This project will help determine whether port-based treatment of ballast water is an option for Laker vessels, which carry large volumes of ballast water that must be treated quickly.
The Port of Duluth is one of the largest bulk cargo ports in the United States, with approximately 800 vessel visits per year. The project is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2022.