TEHRAN (Iran News) –The CEO of Persia Hormoz Ship Repair Yard Company says according to the ballast water management convention requirements, the ballast water management devices should be installed on the ships active in the domestic and international waterways and this action has started for installing ballast water management processing devices on the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line Group (IRISL) fleet.

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments is a 2004 international maritime treaty which requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with standards and procedures for the management and control of ships’ ballast water and sediments.

Speaking in a presser, Mr. Hajizadeh said that IRISL observes precisely all international and national marine conventions and has properly observed and acted based on details of the conventions.

He went on to say that International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a convention in which all ships are assigned to install ballast water management system in order to minimize damages on the marine environment which happens due to transfer of water microorganisms from a region to another region.

He added that for this reason, refining and ballast water management system (BWTS) has been designed for eliminating harmful microorganisms which enter the balancing reservoirs during filling the reservoirs with water.

Hajizadeh went on to say that to support the domestic capabilities, it has been planned to invest ballast water management systems on 7 vessels by the yearend in Persia Hormoz Company as the installation operation of the system on Shiba Ship, one of the fleet of IRISL, has been done for the first time and it is underway.

He added that the Persia Hormoz is to install the system on at least 12 vessels of the IRISL by the end of next year.

He also briefed the reporters of the major performance of the company in its yard and said that some 40 periodical repairs were carried out last year, stipulating that in the first half of the current year the number of total periodical repairs has been 13 items.

Hajizadeh noted that in the  first 10 months of the current year, 31 vessels have been repaired which is 3 more than repairs in the same period last year while $6m has been saved because of the repairs and the figure will reach $9m by the yearend.

He said that some 700 people including the contractor forces are directly working in Persia Hormoz and the figure is around 100 people with inclusion of the suppliers.

He then explained the five-year development plan of the company which will start next year as the company eyes improving its human forces, infrastructures and purchase of required equipment.

He reiterated that the company will help the shipping fleet of the country to broaden its activities while it reduces its dependence on foreigners and saves forex.