Systems engineering-based feasibility study for development of ballast water-free vessels

Abstract

The Ballast Water Management Convention will be enforced on 8 September, 2017. However, the effectiveness of the Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) is debatable. Identifying the state of ballast at ports is also being investigated. Currently, ballast water-free ships are being researched. This requires a verification procedure to examine their economically feasibility versus existing that of BWMSs and investigating the technical difficulties. In this study, we review the development of non-ballast water ships and examine the methodology to derive a reasonable design via systems engineering. Furthermore, alternative design concepts for a new non-ballast water ship are presented. The proposed conceptual design is effective for countering the technical and economic difficulties, which are difficult to be validated at the design stage. It can also be used to develop additional technologies to improve the identified functions and suggest directions for establishing economically viable strategies. ？ 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, London.