Shipping & Freight #ballast water#treatment
The Chemical Blind Spot in Ballast Water Treatment: Unmonitored Bromoform Risks to Ports and Shipping
Ballast water treatment systems that use oxidant-based methods, such as electrochlorination, generate disinfection by-products like bromoform which accumulate in port waters without monitoring. The IMO's approval process uses a hypothetical Model Harbour rather than real port conditions. Global ballast discharge volumes remain poorly measured, while studies show bromoform concentrations in treated water are ten times higher than in industrial effluents, with estimated annual release of 860 tonnes worldwide.
Jul 30, 2026 1 source