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An Alternative for Ballast Tanks on Ships
Cargo ships that ply the global trade routes all rely on water filled ballast tanks--and are one of the primary reasons for non native species invasion, especially into the Great Lakes. Researchers have tried to come up with solutions to combat this threat, and current ideas are various sterilization add-ons that would neutralize any potential biological threat held in the tanks, but they are very expensive and not widely implemented yet, although soon they might be required by legislation. An alternative proposal came from University of Michigan engineers who propose elimination of the whole ballast tank idea in favor of constantly circulating new water, meaning at any given point in the travels, anything there would most likely be native to that area, or non invasive. An additional benefit was discovered with their scale models in that it really increased the efficiencies of the vessel, leading to significant fuel savings.
.."Instead of hauling potentially contaminated water across the ocean, then dumping it in a Great Lakes port, a ballast-free ship would create a constant flow of local seawater through a network of large pipes, called trunks, that runs from the bow to the stern, below the waterline."
ed.z.: "engage the caterpillar drive!"