Ballast Water Treatment
BWTS Retrofit Engineering
Navtech delivers complete ballast water treatment system retrofit engineering — survey and 3D scan, equipment integration, piping and electrical design, structural foundations and class approval — planned so that the dry-dock period is installation only, not problem-solving.
Survey, 3D scan and space feasibility
BWTS retrofits fail on fit, not on concept. Engine rooms are congested, drawings are usually out of date, and the space the equipment needs rarely exists where the drawings suggest. We start with a physical survey and a FARO 3D laser scan, then design into the real geometry — which is what removes the fit-up surprises that consume dock days.
- On-board survey and FARO 3D laser scanning of the pump room and engine room
- Point cloud processing into a working as-built 3D model
- Space feasibility study for candidate equipment and treatment technologies
- Access, maintenance envelope and removal-route assessment
- Independent technical evaluation of vendor proposals
Piping integration and tie-in design
The treatment unit has to be spliced into a live ballast system without compromising ballasting rates or creating dead legs. We model the new routing against the scanned geometry, resolve clashes before fabrication, and produce spool-level drawings the yard can build directly.
- Ballast system tie-in design with isolation and bypass arrangements
- P&ID updates reflecting the treatment and sampling arrangement
- 3D piping routing with clash detection against structure and equipment
- Isometrics, spool drawings, supports and material take-off
- Sampling point arrangement to IMO and USCG requirements
- Flow rate verification and pressure drop assessment
Structural foundations and electrical integration
The unit needs a seat and it needs power, and both interact with what is already there. Foundations must transfer load into existing structure that was never designed for it, and the additional electrical demand frequently exposes marginal generator capacity — much better found during design than during commissioning.
- Equipment foundation and seating design with structural verification
- Local reinforcement of decks, girders and tank tops
- Electrical load analysis update covering the ballasting condition
- Generator adequacy assessment and upgrade recommendation if required
- Single line diagram updates, cable sizing, schedules and routing
- Control, alarm and monitoring interface integration
Class submission, commissioning and as-built
We prepare the submission package to the reviewing society’s format and carry it through the comment cycle before dock entry, then support the yard during installation and commissioning and issue the as-built documentation afterwards.
- Complete class submission covering piping, structure and electrical
- Management of the comment cycle to stamped approval
- Technical support to the yard during installation
- Commissioning support and troubleshooting
- As-built drawings and updated vessel documentation
Frequently asked questions
Can a BWTS retrofit be engineered within a fixed dry-dock window?
Yes — we have turned around 3D routing, isometrics and class submission inside a dock window. The condition is that survey and design start well before the vessel arrives. Retrofits that begin engineering after dock entry are the ones that overrun, because every fit-up problem is then discovered with the clock running.
Do you carry out the 3D scanning yourselves?
Yes. We use FARO laser scanning to capture the pump room and engine room, and build the retrofit design directly into the point cloud. You keep the resulting as-built model, which is reusable for any future retrofit on the same vessel.
Do you supply or recommend a particular BWTS manufacturer?
We do not sell equipment, so our evaluation is independent. We assess candidate systems against your ballast rates, available space, power availability and trading area — including USCG requirements if you trade to US waters — and support the technical comparison of vendor offers.
Will the existing generators handle the additional load?
That is exactly what the load analysis establishes, and it is not a formality. Treatment systems draw significant power during ballasting, and on older vessels the margin is often thinner than expected. If an upgrade is needed we identify it during design, not at commissioning.
What information do you need to quote a BWTS retrofit?
Vessel particulars and class society, ballast pump capacities and the existing ballast P&ID, the machinery arrangement, whether equipment has been selected, your trading area including any USCG requirement, and the planned dry-dock dates.
Related engineering services
Have a vessel and a scope in mind?
Share your drawings, class society and target dates — we respond within 24–48 hours.