Ballast-Check 2 Approved by Saudi Aramco

Following detailed scientific and technical evaluation by the Environmental Protection Department of Saudi Aramco, the Turner Designs’ Ballast-Check 2 Handheld PAM Fluorometer (USA) is approved as a valid Ballast Water Sampling Instrument. Saudi Aramco will now accept results from certified technicians using Turner Designs Ballast-Check 2 Handheld PAM Fluorometer in addition to the other previously approved instrumentation.   

Saudi Aramco announced in August that all ships calling at its ports and terminals are required to provide ballast water test results to show compliance with the IMO Ballast Water Management 2004 convention. It has been a challenge to sample all the arriving ships and Saudi Aramco looks forward to having additional certified technicians and instrumentation performing the tests.

Ballast-Check™2 is a small, lightweight, highly durable handheld fluorometer ideal for quick indicative compliance checks of ballast water. Factory set, Ballast-Check 2 is ready for use right out of the box, no calibration necessary. Extremely simple one-button measurements display estimates in less than 1 minute of both algal abundance and algal activity, providing ship crew or port state control with an indication of risk for exceedance of the regulation. Small, battery-powered, water-proof, and easy to use, Ballast-Check 2 is perfect for field use. Ballast-Check 2 is ideal for quick on-the-spot assessments of the effectiveness of a ballast water treatment system.

Turner Designs is working closely with several service providers to train and certify them to support Saudi Aramco as more are needed. Turner Designs is partnered with Wilhelmsen Ships Services to provide worldwide sales and support of Ballast-Check 2 to shipowners and operators.