Ballast Water Management

Meet the standard, mitigate the risk

Rapid, trusted solutions for ballast water testing

Meet ballast water regulatory requirements with our efficient, versatile and accurate testing solution, measuring all fractions within 20 minutes.

LuminUltra’s on-board testing solution is the result of a robust 6-year R&D program and has been validated extensively by customers in real-world applications. It’s used by shipowners, shipyards and laboratories worldwide.

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Helping you navigate ballast water testing regulations

The introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens to new environments through ballast water poses a significant threat to our oceans.

To mitigate the risk, the International Marine Organization (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention and the United States Coast Guard have developed strict regulations for ballast water management and discharge. All ships must meet these standards by 2024.

But installing a ballast water treatment system is a significant and costly undertaking, as is learning a new testing protocol to self-monitor ballast water.

We’re here to help.

Why service providers and ship owners trust LuminUltra's testing solution

Cost-effective: Save significantly by taking your testing out of the lab and bringing it onboard.
Flexible: One piece of equipment gives you the tools to test multiple applications on your vessel.
Accurate: Measure all viable and living microorganisms.
Fast: Get results in 20 minutes, rather than days or weeks.

Real-world validation, real-world results

Our BQUA PLUS Ballast Water Monitoring Kit has been validated extensively in real-world applications by customers, such as manufacturers, port authorities and laboratories.

Ankron Water Services, a marine testing and consulting company, assessed the LuminUltra BQUA PLUS Ballast Water Monitoring Kit to determine its suitability to perform rapid and accurate commissioning testing for ballast water management systems.

Learn how LuminUltra’s testing method saves time, reduces costs, and ensures compliance with International Maritime Organization regulations.

Testing prevents the spread of invasive species

With more than 4,000 different organisms found in a ship’s ballast water tank, monitoring is vital to prevent the spread of these invasive species — and why the IMO requires all sizes of ballast organisms to be monitored.

These organisms are broken down into three categories, known as the ballast water regulatory fractions:

Bacteria (i.e., the 3 indicator microbes: E. coli, V. cholera, Enterococi)
Organisms of between 10-50µm (e.g., phytoplankton and micro-zooplankton)
Organisms greater than 50µm (e.g., zooplankton and phytoplankton)

LuminUltra has the only ballast water test kit that can provide indicative analysis on each of the three regulatory fractions.

Get a precise view into your microbes with 2nd Generation ATP®

LuminUltra’s ballast water test kit uses 2nd Generation ATP® to measure the living organisms in your ballast water. It’s an integral part of a Ballast Water Management Plan. The kit includes:

A three-membrane microfiltration system to separate organisms by fraction size category (bacteria greater than 50 µm; between 10 and 50 µm; less than 10 µm)
An extraction method that ensures complete extraction of the cellular ATP present in marine organisms, including those protected by a mineral shell, a rigid exoskeleton or a tough outer wall (crustaceans, diatoms, microalgae, etc.)
A second-generation microbiological analysis kit designed to detect ATP in high-salt samples (up to 300‰ NaCl or 300 PSU)
Portable equipment to perform the test

Learn more about 2nd Generation ATP