Ecological is economical, in oily water

In the engine room bilge water and oils collect. The more leaks and drips there are, the more bilge water is accumulated. The more bilge water there is, the more complex it tends to be and the more difficult it is to get it overboard. The more bilge water there is, the more time has to be allotted to bilge water separation, more parts and consumables tend to be used as well. In the worst case there is too much bilge water and not enough time to process it. In this case the crew may be tempted to "increase the efficiency" of the bilge separator by by-passing the oil content meter or the system altogether. In other words, lax (costly) shipboard practices create large quantities of bilge water, which are expensive to remove. Managing bilge water by following best practices and the "Integrated Bilge Water Treatment System", as per IMO guidelines results in a twofold cost saving. Managing the inflows tends to reduce waste, reduced quantities reduce time and wear on equipment as well as the frequency to discharge waste oil to shore. Green Marine provides an excellent guide. A company that operates at level 4 in "oily water" limits oily water quantities and is cost effective in bilge water processing. At level 4 the company is environmentally friendly and operates economically.