The ships floats on a body of water thus it is only natural that some of the sea water gets into the ship's premises. Water is used in a variety of ways: in the engine room, shower room, kitchen and among others, thus waste water is produced in a large scale especially for passenger and cruise ships where hundreds of people are on board.
One of the wastes that ships produce is called bilge water which is a combination of various substances such as seawater, freshwater, oil, sludge and chemicals. As the law does not permit its discharge into the sea, a residual collection tank called bilge well located on the lowest portion of the ship where the two sides of the ship meets, is the temporary depository of the bilge water until it is unloaded into the shore for proper disposal in accordance with existing laws.
WATER
How is bilge water formed? Where does its component come from? A significant amount of seawater gets into the bilge well due to splashes especially during storm where big waves torment the ship. The seawater, through gravity, settles into the bottom part of the ship to accumulate. Leaking chest valves also allow seawater to get into the bilge and eventually into the bilge well.
Another source of bilge water is from leaking water from network of pipelines that supplies the ship's several rooms with water. The pipelines, being constantly exposed to seawater easily gets rusts thereby causing erosion of the pipes. However, with the advancement in technology, ordinary metal pipes have been replaced by rustproof and all-weather materials.
A mixture of products of condensation from the boiler and engine room such as water, oil spills, sludge also accumulate and seep into the bilge. Discharge of such wastes especially of oil is strictly prohibited by the law. Doing so has a corresponding infraction and punishment or revocation of a ship's license to travel any bodies of water and worst, litigation of the ship's crew.
The ship's bilge wells are vital to the operation of a ship as its contents and disposal are sanctioned by government al laws. However, if the bilge wells get filled-up and overflows, it can cause a disruption in the ship's balance and stability. Thus it is essential that emptying of the wells is done on a scheduled basis. However, in times that the content of the wells pose as threat to the safety of the ship and the passengers, a considerable amount of bilge water has to be emptied into the ocean. For such reason, it is mandated by federal laws that ships must be equipped with an oil separator that will filter suspended oil particles such that oil particles that is discharged directly into the ocean is brought to a minimum.
Where Does Bilge Water Come From? WATER
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