Hyde Marine
Compact System for Complex Ballast Water Treatment

Ships owners are obligated to protect the marine environment by regularly disinfecting their ballast water and comply with the International Maritime Organizations (IMO) ballast water treatment regulations. However, the dearth of a foolproof water treatment system that is adaptable and user-friendly makes it cumbersome for ship owners to act in accordance with international rules. To assist ship owners with this predicament, Hyde Marine provides a compact ballast water treatment system (BWTS)—Hyde GUARDIAN GOLD®—to streamline the ballast water management. The firm’s compact system optimizes vessel space and catalyzes maintenance operations; this allows cruise ships and other cargo carrier companies to focus on their core business processes. The system relies on two main components of its two-step treatment method: physical solid-liquid separation and disinfection treatment. While the physical solid-liquid separation is processed through surface filtration using automatic backwashing filters, the disinfection is carried out by utilizing ultraviolet (UV) technology. “The filtration process removes sediment and large organisms from the ballast water before it is treated with UV light to kill remaining organisms,” explains Mark Riggio, senior market manager of Hyde Marine.

The automatic backwashing filters enable the BWTS to remove long, narrow worms and chain algae depositions. This significantly reduces the sedimentation in ballast tanks, resulting in efficient handling of heavy sediment loading. Hyde Marine’s modus operandi of using UV rays eliminates the need for transporting, storing, and handling of chemical by-products to disinfect the ballast water. The robust design and architecture of the firm’s BWTS can be configured for different types of vessels, boasting the capacity to handle flow rates in the range of 60 cubic meters to 6000 cubic meters per hour. Hyde Marine BWTS’ skid mount capability allows it to be retrofitted on existing ships as well as new vessels.

While implementing these solutions for clients, Hyde Marine conducts a series of workshops to understand various business needs and then builds the BWTS that meets the industry requirements.

Remotely controlling clients’ systems allows us to get an overview of the BWTS’ problems, which in turn expedite our process of fixing it

“Since the installation process for every ship varies, our team works with vessel owners and ensures that the guardian product they are buying adds value to their business operations,” adds Riggio. Following the installation of BWTS, Hyde Marine provides a proprietary software package that automates every process within the guardian system. The firm also offers remote access terminals with every BWTS they sell, which can be linked to a ship’s communication network. This empowers Hyde Marine to log in and control clients’ BWTS system remotely. “Controlling clients systems remotely allows us to get an overview of the BWTS’ problems, which in turn, optimizes the process of troubleshooting,” states Riggio.

The remote access capability was first used to help a client manage oil barges. These ships were often crewless or operated by unskilled labor that couldn’t perform BWTS troubleshooting procedures. Consequently, the client struggled to fix the BWTS each time it malfunctioned; therefore, they opted for Hyde Marine’s remote terminal to revamp their diagnostic processes. The panel allowed the firm to connect BWTS through cellular signals for troubleshooting problems remotely. This resulted in decreased field service visits and increased operational cost savings for the clients.

Hyde Marine is looking forward to improving its portfolio by launching products that can facilitate clients with certifications that are United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved. In the future, the firm is determined to challenge the status quo of product development, which can reduce marine environment pollution while complying with the IMO regulations.