L.A., Long Beach ports, APL join in ballast water project

L.A., Long Beach ports, APL join in ballast water project Southern California's two ports are teaming up with ocean carrier APL, the California State Lands Commission and the University of Maryland to eliminate non-native species from being introduced into local waters by vessels dumping ballast water.
   The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are each contributing $250,000 to the $1.2 million project to design a shipboard ballast water treatment system.
   The State Lands Commission will also offer $100,000 for the project and the University of Maryland has secured a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant for nearly $400,000. APL, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Neptune Ocean Lines, has committed $100,000 in funding to the project plus the use of its containership the APL England as a test-bed for the project.
   Cargo vessels at berth draw local water into ballast tanks to help maintain stability as they unload cargo. Marine organisms are often pulled in with the water. These organisms can then be transferred to another area when the vessel discharges the ballast water.
   Despite tight federal regulations requiring the exchange of ballast water in the open ocean, cargo ship ballast water has often been the culprit behind the introduction of aquatic invasive species into local harbors. These organisms have the potential to threaten the balance of local ecosystems by out-competing native species. To date, more than 46 non-native species of marine plants and animals have been identified in the San Pedro Bay.
   The system to be designed by the project would destroy marine organisms drawn in with ballast water by removing the oxygen and reducing the pH levels of the water. The system would also test ballast tank anti-corrosion technology.