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A.5.2.
MERC Background
MERC was created by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and Maryland Port
Administration, with additional support from the US Maritime Administration, and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, to provide test facilities, expertise, information, and decision tools to
address key environmental issues facing the international maritime industry. The primary focus is to
evaluate the mechanical and biological efficacy, costs, and logistical aspects of ballast water treatment
systems and to assess the economic impacts of ballast water regulations and management approaches.
The goal of MERC BWTS testing is to conduct independent, scientifically-sound, quality-assured
evaluations of treatment approaches and systems with regard to factors such as biological treatment
efficacy, predictability/reliability, environmental acceptability, and safety. MERC conducts R&D and
certification testing of treatment systems at three levels: lab bench proof-of-concept, land-based
prototype, and shipboard validation/verification. All MERC testing protocols are based on the IMO G8
and G9 Guidelines and the ETV Protocol, and employ scientifically validated or accepted approaches
methods.
While the initial and primary focus of MERC is on ballast water treatment systems, the Center has the
expertise, facilities, academic independence, and scientific integrity that will allow for testing and
assessment of additional technologies and innovations related to Green Shipping, including hull fouling
invasive species, port and vessel air emissions and alternative fuels, and gray and oily water treatments.
A.5.3.
MERC BWTS Test Objectives
MERC’s four main objectives are:
•
provide technology developers/vendors with facilities and expertise for pilot-scale and shipboard
evaluations of treatment systems;
•
provide regulatory agencies and classification societies with standardized, rigorous, and independent
data on treatment system performance;
•
provide ship builders and shipping lines with information and decision tools to select the most
appropriate ballast water treatment options; and
•
remove as much uncertainty as possible from emerging markets for treatment systems in order to
accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies.
A.6.
Test Descriptions and Schedule
MERC test activities may have several goals including:
•
Pre-certification testing, i.e., operational and biological performance (including residual toxicity)
status-testing given scale-up and a range of challenge conditions; and
•
Certification/verification testing, i.e., formal assessment of performance against IMO, USCG and
other discharge standards.
The fundamental approach of MERC testing is to conduct independent, scientifically-sound, rigorous, and
quality assured evaluations of ballast water treatment system performance under controlled experimental
conditions. In addition, MERC tests are directly relevant to regulatory processes including the IMO
Convention, state law, and federal requirements under development in the United States. To that end,
MERC protocols, challenge conditions and testing infrastructure (e.g. flow rate, retention tank size,
sample size, sample collection and analysis equipment and data logging) are based on the essential