What is bilge water?

Bilge water is water that accumulates in the lower parts of a ship's hull, called bilges. Tank overflows during the filling of fuel, oil or other technical fluids, cleaning and maintenance of machinery with detergents and solvents, leaks in hydraulic systems and condensate and rainwater entering the vessel contribute to bilge water contamination. Overflowing bilges can lead to flooding in the engine room, causing mechanical damage, corrosion and failure of electronic systems. The presence of oil and other flammable substances increases the risk of fire, posing a direct threat to the safety of the crew and ship. In addition, spills of bilge water into the sea can contaminate marine ecosystems and the mismanagement of this effluent can lead to severe financial penalties under MARPOL regulations. To avoid these risks, this water is regularly removed from bilge sumps by bilge pumps.

Regulations governing the management of waste water in the shipbuilding industry

Under the provisions of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), bilge effluent must not be discharged directly into the sea, except when necessary to save lives. Prior to discharge, the water must be treated so that the level of oil in it falls below 15 ppm. The regulations require accurate documentation of this process. From this, the vessel owner must demonstrate that the treatment process has been carried out correctly and that all established standards have been met. In addition, it is necessary to record the position of the vessel and the amount of bilge water thrown overboard.

How to optimise the bilge water management process? Using an on-screen recorder

Our client, a marine vessel operator, approached us with a need for a system that would enable accurate recording of all data related to bilge water discharge, including GPS data, pollution levels and discharge volumes. We suggested to him the JUMO LOGOSCREEN 700 screen recorder, as this device meets the high requirements for reliable recording of process data.

The wastewater collected in the bilge wells is pumped into the bilge water tanks, where it is treated using a special system that reduces the oil content to below 15 ppm. The OMS (Oil Measurement System) continuously monitors the oil content of the bilge water and transmits this data to a logger. The LOGOSCREEN 700 automatically controls the discharge of treated bilge water, opening the three-way valve only when the system confirms that the water meets the required standards.

In addition to its control functions, the LOGOSCREEN 700 records relevant GPS data, events and alarms. The unit also measures the amount of treated bilge water discharged overboard and the oil content, expressing these values in both cubic metres and litres. Process data can be visualised directly on the unit or via a customisable web server.

When overboard discharge is allowed, blue lines appear on the screen. The three-way valve is then positioned in the direction of flow, making it easy to quickly identify the active discharge process and immediately determine the oil content and amount of water already discharged. Conversely, when discharge is prohibited, a red alarm bar is displayed on the screen and the three-way valve automatically closes in the event of an alarm

GPS data can be transmitted to the logger via a serial interface in NMEA 0183 format. The unit automatically records this data at set time intervals, allowing the position of the vessel and other parameters such as time, speed or course to be recorded. This data can also be transmitted to higher-level control systems via Modbus or PROFINET protocols.

Customer benefits

• Visualisation and fully automatic control of bilge water discharge with additional recording of GPS coordinates.

About the author

My name is Ewelina Szmit and I have been working in content marketing for several years, combining my professional skills with my passion for writing. I am convinced that even the most technical topics can be presented in an interesting and accessible way for everyone. Outside of work, I unleash my creativity by creating newspaper collages. I like to spend my free time being active, walking my dog or running.

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