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| MPA
spearheads green innovations |
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| A
prototype of a ship board ballast
water treatment system. |
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For the Maritime
and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), maintaining
Singapore’s position as one of the world’s
busiest ports while protecting the natural environment
comes hand in hand.
To this end, it works closely with diverse partners
such as educational institutions and private companies.
Featured here are two innovative ideas that were
developed through successful partnerships.
As ships move from port to port, ballast water
is released. However,
this can result in the transfer of harmful aquatic
organisms between
ports and is one of the major ecological and public
health threats to coastal nations.
To address this, several countries have made Ballast
Water Exchange (BWE), the only ballast management
option currently available to the shipping industry,
a must. This process involves exchanging ballast
water taken on board from a harbour with water
from the ocean during the ship’s journey
across the ocean.
The current BWE process however poses some risks
to the ship during ballasting operations in rough
seas. It is also inconvenient and has limited
ability to remove sediments from the bottom of
the ballast water tank as well as limited biological
effectiveness.
For these reasons, a team comprising MPA, the
Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU)
Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering,
Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Tropical Marine Science
Institute, Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) and the
American Bureau of Shipping jointly developed
an alternative — a shipboard ballast water
treatment system.
This new system is expected to eliminate the need
for ships to exchange ballast water in the middle
of the ocean, saving considerable time and money
for the shipping industry, and ultimately, saving
the environment.
For a start, a prototype will be developed and
installed onboard one of NOL’s container
ships for trial testing. Following the results
of the trials, the system will be modified and
enhanced before being commercialised.
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With Crystallisation
Technology, industrial wastes and contaminated
dredged/
excavated materials can be converted
into useful products like bricks. |
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Industrial activities, waste incineration and development
projects in areas with contami-
nated soil inevitably produce
tainted waste.
To address the increasing amounts of such wastes,
a research team comprising members from MPA, NTU
and NewEarth Pte Ltd was formed in 2002.
The team developed Crystallisation Technology, which
enables contaminated dredged and excavated material
and industrial wastes to be converted into value-added
end products.
In essence, the hazardous and inorganic industrial
toxic wastes are transformed into environmentally
friendly ceramic matrix that can be used as materials
for the construction of buildings, pavements and
reclaimed land.
The team then joined forces with Surbana Consultants
Pte Ltd and with $978,600 from The Enterprise Challenge,
developed a pilot industrial waste recycling plant
at SML Shipyard in January 2005. Dredged materials
from the shipyard basins and industrial wastes from
various industries have since been converted into
value-added products.
The next stage is to commercialise the technology
in 2006. When that happens, it will create a new
industry and also help position Singapore regionally
as a centre for producing and using cutting-edge
recycling technology. |
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By
MPA
Next: Smooth
sailing |
