January 12, 2010
TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Akimitsu Ashida) today announced that MOL and Musashino Co., Ltd. have jointly developed the world's first portable liquid-level gauge for vessel ballast tanks. The gauge measures the level of ballast water (seawater) in a tank by dropping a portable measuring tube into the sounding tube of the ballast tank. A sensor detects air pressure changes in the tube and quickly measures the ballast water level.
Conventional measurement using a sounding tape is complex and time-consuming, requiring several crew members. Use of this new liquid-level gauge makes it quick and easy to check the levels of many ballast tanks, improving efficiency and enhancing the safety of loading/discharging operations.
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Vessels add seawater to their ballast tanks when discharging cargo, and pump it out when loading cargo. This helps to control the balance of the hull and ensure its stability. To prevent air from entering the ballast pump during the final stages of discharging ballast water, it is essential to measure the level of ballast water remaining in the tank.