What is BWM.2/Circ.70/Rev.1?

BWM.2/Circ.70/Rev.1 is the IMO guidance for commissioning testing of installed ballast water management systems. It defines the verification testing required after retrofit to confirm the BWMS is installed and operates as designed.

What happens when a commissioning test fails?

When a commissioning test fails, the manufacturer, yard, and crew often blame each other. The vessel cannot trade until the system passes. Independent diagnosis from the test data logs often identifies the root cause without requiring another full test attempt.

How long does diagnosis take?

For most failures, we provide a root-cause hypothesis with supporting data within 72 hours of receiving the data logs. On-site work, when needed, is scoped against a specific deliverable rather than open-ended T&M.

Commissioning & Troubleshooting

When your commissioning test fails and the manufacturer has disappeared, we've got 10+ years of experience getting BWMS back to work.

Independent commissioning support

Stuck with a system that won't pass commissioning

After your retrofit is finished, it is time for the commissioning testing required by BWM.2/Circ.70/Rev.1. Sometimes that testing goes smoothly. But what happens if your system fails?

Newly retrofitted ballast water treatment unit in a ship engine room

The reality

The post-retrofit reality

That commissioning testing is meant to verify your BWMS is installed correctly and operates as designed. In theory, the manufacturer or their appointed service provider handles it. In practice, many shipowners find themselves stuck with a system that doesn't pass commissioning and a manufacturer that isn't answering the phone.

Every manufacturer provides crew training. But that training happens as the vessel is leaving the yard, amid the confusion of closing up the hull, preparing the ship to go back to sea, and restoring order after the chaos of a yard period.

FastBallast compliance monitor used during commissioning

Independent support

Where is the manufacturer?

Where is the manufacturer when the commissioning test fails? Is the problem that the system itself is not working? What if they blame the installation, or worse, the crew? Where can you turn to resolve the issues and get your testing done?

We work independently of any manufacturer. Our job is to get your system working, regardless of who made it or who installed it. We have hands-on experience with systems from all major manufacturers and many smaller ones.

BWMS filter and UV treatment unit inspected during commissioning — On-board inspection during commissioning

Ballast water treatment tank in a ship engine room

What goes wrong

Common commissioning failures

Failed biological efficacy testing
Flow rate not meeting design specifications
Sensor errors and calibration issues
Control system logic problems
Piping and installation deficiencies
Manufacturer support unavailable

Independent verification of BWMS performance from the data logs

What you get

How we get you running

Pre-test data log review to identify issues early
On-site troubleshooting during commissioning
Root cause analysis of failed tests
Corrective action planning and implementation
Independent verification of system performance
Documentation for class and flag state
Confirmatory tests before we leave – with the approved instruments

Ballast water sample bottles collected for analysis

From the data

Troubleshooting from the data

We can help get your crews and vessels back to operation quickly and safely. With more than a decade of experience testing systems on board and getting a BWMS back to work, we know how to identify why your system is not performing and to stop you wasting money on test after test with no hope of success. Often we can do this simply by analyzing the data logs from your previous tests.

Save money on repeated failed tests

Every failed commissioning test costs money: surveyor fees, port time, crew overtime, and schedule disruption. Find the root cause before you test again and you are far more likely to pass. Many clients come to us after two or three failures, and our job is to make the next attempt the one that succeeds.

Need Commissioning Help?

Tell us about your system and the issues you are facing, and we'll start diagnosing from your test data.