Why need BWTs?
The aim of ballast water treatment is the elimination of invasive marine species. The USDA reports that ballast water is “one of the major pathways for the introduction of non-indigenous marine species.” When ships release ballast water at a new port-of-call, they risk introducing alien species, from small fish to microorganisms, into the water around the new area. This can result in a variety of harmful effects; the European Maritime Safety Agency credit invasive marine species with microbial exposure, lower habitat quality, and other dangers that can ultimately harm fishing and even protected species in the region.