Photo gallery

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Stephan Gollasch

Pictured with Chinese Mitten Crab.

Chinese Mitten Crab

Mitten Crab caught in Berlin Lakes.

Ballast water release in dry-dock

This photo was taken in a dry-dock in Hamburg, Germany during the first German Shipping Study on ballast water (1992-1996). Ballast water is released into the dock while docking the vessel for routine inspection. In total approx. 130 ballast water samples were taken during the study.

Ballast water release at pier

This photo was taken at a pier in Cork Harbour, Ireland during the EU Concerted Action "Introductions with Ships" (1998-2000).

Ballast water sampling via sounding pipes

This sampling technique was applied many times during the German Shipping Study. Almost all ballast tanks onboard a vessel are equipped with sounding pipes. The hand-pump used here was able to lift up water from about 8 m depth.

Ballast water sampling via manhole

A bucket was used to sample the water surface in the ballast tank. Ballast water was filtered through a plankton net. Sampling trip in Kiel Canal during EU Concerted Action "Introductions with Ships" (1998-2000).

Ballast water sampling at ships´ ballast pump

Water samples were taken at the pressure meter of the ships´ ballast water pump during German Shipping Study (1992-1996).

Comparison of various ballast water sampling techniques

Comparison of sampling techniques operated via manholes was carried out onboard a container vessel during EU Concerted Action "Introductions with ships" (1998-2000).

Ballast water sampling with hand pump

A hand pump was employed to sample ballast water when nets could not be lowered down the manhole onboard a container vessel during EU Concerted Action "Introductions with ships" (1998-2000).

Ballast water sampling with traps

Traps (baited, unbaited, with light attractant and control) were installed at the bottom of a ballast tank prior filling with water. At the voyage end the traps were retrieved and analyzed for biota caught.

Analysing ballast water samples

Ballast water is analyzed onboard directly after sampling for temperature, oxygen, salinity and pH.

Sampling tank bottom sediments I

More than 70 sediment samples from the bottom of ballast tanks were taken during the German Shipping Study (1992-1996). Usually the sediment layer at the bottom of the ballast tanks was just a few centimetres in depth. However, in one tank the sediment height was 50 cm.

Sampling tank bottom sediments II

Sampling tank bottom of a side-tank during the German Shipping Study (1992-1996).

Sampling tank bottom sediments III

Sampling tank bottom of a ballast tank during the German Shipping Study (1992-1996).

Ballast intake inside tank

Entering a ballast tank

Tanks are usually inspected by climbing through so called "manholes".

Ballast water overflow

As recommended by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ballast water may be exchanged in open waters to minimize the introduction of non-native organisms with ballast water releases. Ballast water exchange may be undertaken in various ways, e.g. by the empty/refill method or by flow through. This image shows ballast water overflow on deck.

Ballast water sampling via manhole

Sampling the ballast water via manholes is supposed to be the best sampling technique as sampling access is most direct. The net used here is a cone-shaped zooplankton net. In comparative trials, cone-shaped nets proved to be very efficient.

Sampling the ship hull

More than 130 ship hull samples were taken during the German Shipping Study (1992-1996).

Long-term ocean going workshop New Zealand - Europe

A sampling team joined a container vessel for daily sampling of ballast water. The objective of these sampling trips was to assess the survival of taxa in ballast water en-route.

Short-term ocean going workshop Ireland - Norway

A sampling team joined an oil carrier for daily sampling of ballast water. The objective of these sampling trips was to assess the survival of taxa in ballast water en-route.

Ships in Port of Odessa

GoConsult was contracted by the IMO with Stephan Gollasch as chief lecturer at the IMO Ballast Water Awareness Mission in the Black Sea in 1999.