Ballast Tanks Of Ships Research Articles

Counting at low concentrations: the statistical challenges of verifying ballast water discharge standards

Discharge from the ballast tanks of ships is one of the primary vectors of nonindigenous species in marine environments. To mitigate this environmental and economic threat, international, national, and state entities are establishing regulations to limit the concentration of living organisms that may be discharged from the ballast tanks of ships. The proposed discharge standards have ranged from zero detectable organisms to < 10 organisms/ m3. If standard sampling methods are used, verifying whether ballast discharge complies with these stringent standards will be challenging due to the inherent stochasticity of sampling. Furthermore, at low concentrations, very large volumes of water must be sampled to find enough organisms to accurately estimate concentration. Despite these challenges, adequate sampling protocols comprise a critical aspect of establishing standards because they help define the actual risk level associated with a standard. A standard that appears very stringent may be effectively lax if it is paired with an inadequate sampling protocol. We describe some of the statistical issues associated with sampling at low concentrations to help regulators understand the uncertainties of sampling as well as to inform the development of sampling protocols that ensure discharge standards are adequately implemented.

Methods for sampling and analysis of marine microalgae in ship ballast tanks: a case study from Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Ballasting and deballasting of shipping vessels in foreign ports have been reported worldwide as a vector of introduction of non-native aquatic plants and animals. Recently, attention has turned to ballast water as a factor in the global increase of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Many species of microalgae, including harmful dinoflagellate species, can re main viable for months in dormant benthic stages (cysts) in ballast sediments. Over a period of four years, we surveyed ballast water and sediment of ships docked in two ports of Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Sampling conditions encountered while sampling ballast water and sediments were vastly different between vessels. Since no single sample collection protocol could be applied, existing methods for sampling ballast were modified and new methods created to reduce time and labor necessary for the collection of high-quality, qualitative samples. Five methods were refined or developed, including one that allowed for a directed intake of water and sediments. From 63 samples, 1,633 dinoflagellate cysts and cyst-like cells were recovered. A native, cyst-forming, harmful dinoflagellate, Alexandrium balechii (Steidinger) F. J. R. Taylor, was collected, isolated, and cultured from the same vessel six months apart, indicating that ships exchanging ballast water in Tampa Bay have the potential to transport HAB species to other ports with similar ecologies, exposing them to non-native, potentially toxic blooms.

Estimating propagule pressure and viability of diatoms detected in ballast tank sediments of ships arriving at Canadian ports

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 425:47-61 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08999 Estimating propagule pressure and viability of diatoms detected in ballast tank sediments of ships arriving at Canadian ports Maria Célia Villac*, Irena Kaczmarska Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, 63B York St., Sackville, New Brunswick, E4L 1G7, Canada *Email: celiavillac@gmail.com ABSTRACT: This research uses the concept of propagule pressure (number of individuals introduced and number of introduction attempts) to investigate human-mediated bioinvasion patterns. We quantified diatoms in the sediments of ballast tanks of commercial ships arriving on both Canadian coasts during 2007 to 2009. Diatom cell concentrations varied from non-detected to 105 cells g–1 wet weight (1011 cells per tank). Although the lowest values were often found in tanks that underwent ballast water exchange, the highest concentrations (109 to 1011 cells per tank) were detected in all voyage categories: transoceanic with ballast exchange (TOE), and intra-coastal with exchange (ICE) and without exchange (ICU). For the west coast, 36% of tanks carried detectable quantities of diatoms and there was no statistical difference between ship categories. For the east coast, 60% of tanks contained diatoms; ICU represented a bioinvasion pattern based on more frequent events with consistently lower cell concentrations, whereas ICE and TOE corresponded to less frequent events, though more variable in cell concentrations. Diversity reached 40 taxa per tank, including resting stages and cells that were supposedly growing vegetatively. New records may lead to introduction hypotheses that ought not to be accepted uncritically. Cell viability was tested using the vital stain fluorescein diacetate; parallel counts of protoplasm integrity and chlorophyll autofluorescence revealed that all 3 indicators gave results within the same order of magnitude. Inoculation of 0.2 to 0.5 ml of the slurry into culture media led to the growth of diatoms, even of taxa not initially detected. Within 7 d, cultured assemblages reached cell concentrations equivalent to 1.8 to 4.4 doublings of the original inoculation. KEY WORDS: Diatoms · Biological invasion · Ballast sediment · Propagule pressure · Phytoplankton viability Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Villac CM, Kaczmarska I (2011) Estimating propagule pressure and viability of diatoms detected in ballast tank sediments of ships arriving at Canadian ports. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 425:47-61. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08999 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 425. Online publication date: March 14, 2011 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2011 Inter-Research.

Transoceanic ships as vectors for nonindigenous freshwater bryozoans

AbstractAim The transport of organisms in ships’ ballast tanks is a dominant vector for aquatic invasions worldwide. Until recently, efforts to manage this vector have overlooked the potential transport of invertebrate resting stages in the residual waters and sediments within emptied ballast tanks, i.e. NOBOB (‘No Ballast On Board’) tanks. The resting stages (statoblasts) of freshwater bryozoans are often buoyant and locally abundant and thus can be taken up easily during ballasting operations. They are also resistant to extreme environmental conditions and can generate new colonies after being dormant for decades; as such, they would likely remain viable propagules after lengthy transport in ship ballast tanks. This study quantified the occurrence of freshwater bryozoan statoblasts in ballast tank sediments of transoceanic ships.Location North American Great Lakes.Methods We quantified the frequency of occurrence, abundance and diversity of bryozoans (as statoblasts) in residual sediment samples taken from 51 NOBOB tanks of 33 transoceanic ships visiting the Great Lakes from 2000 to 2002.Results Our study identified 11 species, comprising nearly 12% of the total number of freshwater bryozoans known worldwide. These include two exotic species unrecorded in the Great Lakes (Fredericella sultana and Lophopus crystallinus), an exotic species already established in the region (Lophopodella carteri) and three cosmopolitan species (Plumatella casmiana, P. fungosa and P. repens). Our estimates suggest that a ship with NOBOB tanks may carry up to 106 statoblasts.Main conclusions The discovery of species unrecorded in the Great Lakes and the potentially large numbers of statoblasts being transported in ship ballast tanks indicate a significant risk of new species introductions. Furthermore, the presence of cosmopolitan species and an exotic species already established in the Great Lakes suggests the strong possibility of cryptic invasions via the introduction of exotic genotypes.

선박 밸러스트 탱크 유입수 필터링 시스템 설계 및 구조해석

As current international guideline and IMO regulation give severe restrictions for ships to manage ballast water to reduce unintentional organism transfers, several ballast water treatment systems recently have been being developed together with filtration. That is because discharging ballast water from ships causes many pollutions by foreign biological invasive species. The primary treatment system being considered in this study was based on fine screen filtration technology applied to ballast water filter in ballast tank in order to reduce the load of ballast water treatment system. New ballast water filtration system was invented and analysed. The structural stress and strain analysis for ballast filtration systems which are current and invented filters were carried out using UGS and Ansys. The results showed that the structure of current filtering module was not designed to meet the requirement of sea water filtration during ballasting operation. The studies also showed that the invented design of filtration system equipped with back washing and automatic scrapper for eliminating cake of bio-species might be a potentially effective technology for ballast water management of ship's ballast tank.

Concentrated sodium chloride brine solutions as an additional treatment for preventing the introduction of nonindigenous species in the ballast tanks of ships declaring no ballast on board

Currently, seawater flushing is the only management strategy for reducing the number of viable organisms in residual sediments and water of ballast tanks of vessels declaring no ballast on board (NOBOB) that traffic ports of the eastern United States. Previously, we identified several species of freshwater and brackish-water peracarid crustaceans able to survive the osmotic shock that occurs during open-ocean ballast water exchange and, potentially, to disperse over long distances via ballasted ships and NOBOB vessels. We tested the efficacy of concentrated sodium chloride brine solutions as an additional treatment for eradicating the halotolerant taxa often present in the ballast tanks of NOBOB ships. The lowest brine treatments (30 ppt for 1 h) caused 100% mortality in several species of cladocerans and copepods collected from oligohaline habitats. Several brackish-water peracarid crustaceans, however, including some that can survive in freshwater as well, required higher brine concentrations and longer exposure durations (45-60 ppt for 3-24 h). The most resilient animals were widely introduced peracarid crustaceans that generally prefer mesohaline habitats but do not tolerate freshwater (required brine treatments of 60-110 ppt for 3-24 h). Brine treatments (30 ppt) also required less time to cause 100% mortality for eight taxa compared with treatments using 34 ppt seawater. Based on these experiments and published data, we present treatment strategies for the ballast tank biota often associated with NOBOB vessels entering the Great Lakes region. We estimate the lethal dosage of brine for 95% of the species in our experiments to be 110 ppt (95% confidence interval, 85-192 ppt) when the exposure time is 1 h and 60 ppt (95% confidence interval, 48-98 ppt) when the exposure duration is 6 h or longer.

Marine dinoflagellate cysts in the ballast tank sediments of ships entering the Laurentian Great Lakes

(2009). Marine dinoflagellate cysts in the ballast tank sediments of ships entering the Laurentian Great Lakes. SIL Proceedings, 1922-2010: Vol. 30, No. 7, pp. 1035-1038.

Factors influencing densities of non‐indigenous species in the ballast water of ships arriving at ports in Puget Sound, Washington, United States

Abstract Oceanographic characteristics and the presence of international shipping in Puget Sound, Washington, USA contribute to its vulnerability to non‐indigenous species (NIS) invasions. To evaluate NIS arriving in ballast water, zooplankton was sampled in 380 ballast tanks of ships after they entered Puget Sound. Taxa were classified into a higher risk group of coastal organisms (including known NIS), and a lower risk group of largely oceanic species. Most ships reported conducting mid‐ocean ballast water exchange (BWE). However, despite state regulations requiring BWE, and apparent compliance by ship operators, most sampled tanks from both transpacific and coastal routes had coastal zooplankton densities exceeding internationally proposed discharge standards. BWE efficiency models and controlled before‐and‐after BWE experiments indicate that BWE consistently removes most coastal zooplankton. However, this study found that although the empty–refill method of BWE significantly reduced coastal plankton compared with un‐exchanged tanks, the flow‐through method did not, and in either case remaining coastal plankton densities presented appreciable risks of introducing NIS. Densities of high risk taxa were consistently and significantly higher from US domestic trips dominated by tank ships carrying ballast water from California, and lower in samples from trans‐Pacific trips dominated by container ships and bulk carriers with ballast from Asia. These findings are probably a result of the dense and diverse NIS assemblages present in California and other US west coast estuaries and the comparatively short transit times between them and Puget Sound. While it appears that BWE can effectively replace NIS with less risky ocean species, new reporting, verification, and operational procedures may be necessary to enhance BWE efficacy. In the long‐term, the introduction of ballast water treatment technologies may be required to significantly reduce the discharge of risky organisms from commercial ships if BWE practices do not become more effective. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Rapid dispersal and establishment of a benthic Ponto-Caspian goby in Lake Erie: diel vertical migration of early juvenile round goby

The round goby, Apollonia melanostoma, a molluscivore specialist, was introduced to the Great Lakes in the early 1990s and rapidly expanded its distribution, especially in Lake Erie. Adult round goby morphology suggests low dispersal and migration potential due to the lack of a swim bladder and benthic life style. Given that the larval stage occurs inside the benthic egg, and juveniles have adult morphologies, it has been suspected that dispersal and invasion potential is low for early life stages also. However, we identified early juvenile round gobies in the nocturnal pelagic in Lake Erie and thus we conducted a sampling study to determine the extent to which this life stage uses the nocturnal pelagic. Replicate ichthyoplankton samples were collected at 3-h intervals (1900–0700 h) at three depths (2 m, 5 m, 8 m) in western Lake Erie (water depth = 10 m) in July and August 2002 and June 2006. Early juvenile round gobies (6–23 mm TL) were present almost exclusively in the nocturnal samples (2200 h, 0100 h, 0400 h) with peak densities approaching 60 individuals per 100 m3 of water sampled. Nocturnal density was also significantly greater at 8-m depth versus 2-m and only the smallest fish (6–8 mm TL) migrated to the surface (2-m). Analyses of diet clearly demonstrated that these fish are foraging on plankton at night and thus may not be light limited for foraging in ship ballast tanks. In ships that take on thousands of tonnes of water for ballast, nocturnal ballasting could easily result in transport of thousands of young round gobies at a time. Additionally, within-lake dispersal at this lifestage is likely common and may facilitate downstream passage across barriers designed to limit range expansion.

Analytical modelling of ship collision based on full-scale experiments

This paper presents a theoretical model allowing us to predict the consequences of ship–ship collision where large forces arise due to the sloshing in ship ballast tanks. The model considers the inertia forces of the moving bodies, the effects of the surrounding water, the elastic bending of the hull girder of the struck ship, the elasticity of the deformed ship structures and the sloshing effects in partially filled ballast tanks. The study focuses on external dynamics. Internal mechanics, presenting the collision force as a function of penetration, was obtained from experiments. The model was validated with two full-scale collision experiments, one with a significant sloshing effect and the other without it. The comparison of the calculations and the measurements revealed that the model predictions were in good agreement, as the errors at the maximum value of penetration were less than 10%.

Trace elements in ships' ballast water as tracers of mid-ocean exchange

Recent regulation mandates that ships conduct mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE) prior to discharging foreign ballast in U.S. territorial waters. We investigated the utility of dissolved concentration measurements for 6 elements (Ba, P, Mn, U, V and Mo) in the ballast tanks of ships operating in the North Pacific and Atlantic oceans as tracers of mid-ocean BWE. Relatively conservative elements Mo, U and V provided little additional information beyond that obtained from salinity, whereas nonconservative Ba, P and Mn offered greater resolution. The utility of Ba, P and Mn was further examined in the context of three criteria: (1) stability, or whether tracers maintain stable concentrations in ballast tanks over time; (2) fidelity, or the degree to which tracer concentrations in ballast tanks faithfully reflect concentrations at their ocean source; and (3) predictability, or the degree to which ballast tanks have a predictable and restricted range of tracer concentrations following BWE. We found that in water held in ballast tanks over time, average stability increased for Mn < P < Ba, as reflected by decreasing coefficients of variation (30% > 21% > 3%) and fidelity increased in the same direction. While Ba and P usually increased discrimination at high salinities, Mn was typically the most sensitive indicator of BWE and the presence of residual port water in partially exchanged tanks. Ba, P and Mn in tanks exchanged in the Atlantic exhibited different concentration ranges compared to tanks exchanged in the Pacific, suggesting that if trace elements are to be used to verify BWE, criteria for discriminating between exchanged and unexchanged ballast tanks may need to be basin-specific.

Rate of species introductions in the Great Lakes via ships' ballast water and sediments

We report results from a study of species in ballast tanks of ships entering the Great Lakes between 2000 and 2002. We collected 1349 individuals from at least 93 unique taxonomic groups, of which approximately half were identified to species. We estimated that the zooplankton assemblage in ballast water destined for the Great Lakes comprised from 200 to 1000 unique taxa consisting of both freshwater and marine species. Between 14 and 39 of these taxa have not yet been recorded from the Great Lakes. Further, 13.9% of individual specimens identified to the species level were from species not previously collected from the Great Lakes. We collected seven nonindigenous freshwater species not currently found in the Great Lakes: Brachionus plicatilis, Cyclocypria kinkaidia, Maraenobiotus insignipes, Microcyclops rubellus, Microcyclops varicans, Neomysis awatchensis, and Paracyclops chiltoni. We found no evidence that ship age, seasonal timing, or age of ballast water affected the abundance of individuals or species in the ballast tanks. To our knowledge, these are the first extrapolations of data from ballast water collections to estimate the rate of species introduction to any ecosystem.

Infrared thermography (IRT) and ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) for the nondestructive evaluation of ballast tanks’ coated surfaces

This paper quantifies the detectability limits of infrared thermography (IRT) and ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) techniques in the thickness measurements of the naval protective coatings applied on ship ballast tanks. The change in signal per unit thickness (25 μm) is used to describe each technique resolution, when using a pulsed-thermographic procedure and a UVF spectroscopic analysis. Furthermore, Tanimoto criterion in addition to a local signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) computation measure the revealability of pinholes, the IRT technique provides an 83% revealability while the UVF imaging has a 66% value. The goal of this work is to benchmark the novel UVF approach against that of the IRT procedures.

한국에 입항한 선박 밸러스트 수에 존재하는 해양 부유생물

Various marine plankton were observed in the ballast water of vessels entering Incheon and Susan harbors. The ballast water of which age ranged from 2 to 54 days originated from the coastal waters of New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Pakistan, and from the Pacific Ocean. The total number of marine plankton taxa in 9 ballast tanks of different ships was 170: 90 phytoplankton, 24 protozoa and 56 zooplankton. The most diverse taxonomic groups were diatoms in phytoplankton, ciliates in protozoa and copepods in zooplankton. Classifying the specimens by size, above 50% of the number species of phytoplankton belonged to the size range between 50 and 150 ㎛. Protozoa and metazooplankton were found frequently in the size range between 50 and 120 ㎛, and 500 and 1,000 ㎛, respectively. The relationship between the species number and the age of ballast water was not significant. This is because of difference of filtration amounts derived from discordance of collecting samples. Among plankton observed in ballast water, some harmful algae and non-indigenous aquatic species were identified. Therefore, we need to investigate whether these species can inhabit in Korean coastal waters in further study.

Sensitivity of aquatic invertebrate resting eggs to SeaKleen® (Menadione): A test of potential ballast tank treatment options

The introduction of aquatic species in resting life stages by the release of ballast water is a less well-known but potentially important invasive species vector. Best-management practices designed to minimize transport of ballast water cannot eliminate this threat, because residual water and sediment are retained in ballast tanks after draining. To evaluate the potential efficacy of chemical treatment of residual material in ship ballast tanks, the present study examined the acute toxicity of the proposed biocide SeaKleen (menadione; Garnett, Watkinsville, GA, USA) on resting eggs of Brachionus plicatilis (a marine rotifer), a freshwater copepod, Daphnia mendotae (a freshwater cladoceran), and Artemia sp. (a marine brine shrimp). SeaKleen was toxic to resting eggs of all taxa. Daphnia mendotae resting eggs encased in protective ephippia were the least sensitive, as indicated by a 24-h lethal concentration of toxicant to 90% of organisms of 8.7 mg/L (95% confidence interval, +/- 0.1 mg/L). SeaKleen induced teratogenic effects in D. mendotae and Artemia sp. Exposure to sunlight quickly degraded SeaKleen, which lost all toxicity after 72 h outdoors. SeaKleen increased in toxicity slightly after 72 h in darkness. Burial of D. mendotae ephippia in natural lake sediment reduced SeaKleen toxicity by a factor of 20. Reduced toxicity in the presence of sediment raises serious doubts as to the potential for this, or any, chemical biocide to kill aquatic invertebrate resting stages buried in sediment retained in ship ballast tanks.

Estuarial Fingerprinting through Multidimensional Fluorescence and Multivariate Analysis

As part of a strategy for preventing the introduction of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) to U.S. estuaries, ballast water exchange (BWE) regulations have been imposed. Enforcing these regulations requires a reliable method for determining the port of origin of water in the ballast tanks of ships entering U.S. waters. This study shows that a three-dimensional fluorescence fingerprinting technique, excitation emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy, holds great promise as a ballast water analysis tool. In our technique, EEMs are analyzed by multivariate classification and curve resolution methods, such as N-way partial least squares Regression-discriminant analysis (NPLS-DA) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). We demonstrate that classification techniques can be used to discriminate among sampling sites less than 10 miles apart, encompassing Boston Harbor and two tributaries in the Mystic River Watershed. To our knowledge, this work is the first to use multivariate analysis to classify water as to location of origin. Furthermore, it is shown that curve resolution can show seasonal features within the multidimensional fluorescence data sets, which correlate with difficulty in classification.

Role of diapause in dispersal and invasion success by aquatic invertebrates

Review of existing literature shows an important role of diapause in dispersal of aquatic invertebrates. There is evidence that among aquatic invertebrates, the role of diapause in dispersal can be important in crustaceans, specifically for species that produce resting eggs. Analysis of dispersal vectors of diapausing species revealed the increasing role of human-mediated vectors of species dispersal during last century (intentional and unintentional introductions, specifically associated with shipping) in comparison with natural vectors (currents, wind, birds). Generally, the role of human-mediated vectors is most important for species dispersal across geographical barriers and into large aquatic ecosystems affected by shipping. Current human-mediated transport vectors increase rates of aquatic species introductions in many orders of magnitude in comparison with historical nature-driven species dispersal rates. Ability to develop diapausing resting stages facilitates species survival during movement across geographical barriers under extreme conditions, such as in ballast tanks of ships. Case studies for invasive species of Cladocera show that some invaders may possess adaptive life cycles, switching to the early prolonged gamogenetic reproduction, which facilitates their invasion success into novel ecosystems and further dispersal by both natural and human-mediated vectors.

Preconstruction Priming: A Cost-Effective Solution to Painting Ship Ballast Tanks

In both Asia and Europe, preconstruction primers (PCP) are routinely used and retained as an integral part of the coating system. The retention of PCPs can significantly reduce the painting cost of new ship builds. The cost of protective coatings (paint) application in new construction can be upwards of 10% of the total ship cost. The process is labor intensive; therefore, it is logical that most savings are derived from reducing labor steps. Retaining PCP eliminates the necessity of a second blast operation, thus reducing labor cost and hazardous waste disposal cost. This paper addresses the feasibility of retaining PCP as the permanent primer for protective coatings systems applied in such high-performance areas as exterior hull, underwater bottom, and most importantly ballast tanks. Should the retention of PCP be proven as a viable option, the process of coatings application can be improved resulting in significant cost savings. Spending of new construction dollars will not be necessary to remove the PCP prior to the application of high-performance coating and lining systems. The test program discussed in this paper was based on work sponsored by the National Shipbuilding Research Program Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise (NSRPAES) and the US Navy. The Surface Preparation and Coatings Panel, SP3, of the Ship Production Committee formulated the program and provided direction during the course of the work. The Ship Production Committee is one of SNAME's nine technical and research committees, and consists of the chairman supported by the ship production major initiative panel chairs and selected others.

Heterogeneous zooplankton distribution in a ship's ballast tanks

We examined the vertical distribution of zooplankton in a ship's ballast water. Some crustacean taxa were more abundant at 0.5 m and 2 m than at 6 m depths. Non-random distributions affect population size estimations and are an important consideration for invasion risk assessment.

Harmful dinoflagellate resting cysts in ships' ballast tank sediments: potential for introduction into English and Welsh waters

Sediment samples taken from ballast tanks of ships in English and Welsh ports were examined for the presence of dinoflagellate resting cysts. Cysts with apparently viable cell contents, identifiable to at least genus level, were found in 69% of samples; 48 species were identified, representing 20 genera. A maximum of 22 cyst types were found in a single sample, but most samples contained less than five. Maximum recorded cyst concentration was 8950 cysts ml−1 wet sediment. The majority of samples contained < 400 cysts ml−1. Potentially harmful cyst types included toxic, bloom-forming, and non-indigenous species. Alexandrium species were recorded in 25% of samples, A. tamarenselcatenella cysts being the most common, occurring in 17% of samples. In addition to the germination of observed cysts, slurry enrichments also produced motile stages of smaller species unrecorded in microscopical surveys. Most cyst types found in this study have been recorded from UK waters, although a number of species previously unrecorded were identified. Our findings agree with other studies and demonstrate the frequent occurrence of the resting cysts of potentially harmful dinoflagellate species in ballast tank sediments. The lack of any clear correlation between the dinoflagellate cyst assemblage and the origin of the ballast water was ascribed to the complex nature of ballast water management on modern vessels with dedicated ballast tanks. Based on these findings, we question the scope for predicting the presence of particular harmful dinoflagellate cysts in specified ballast tank sediments for the majority of UK shipping traffic.