This decal was issued for a big BWT (Ballast Water Treatment) upgrade in the ’90s. Originally, all oil tankers took on sea water in their crude oil tanks as ballast to help stabilize them for safer riding in rough seas. Upon arriving in Valdez, they send the now oily ballast water to the BWT facility, which also received any other oily waste water from terminal activities. BWT first separated out any crude oil and then treated the remaining wastewater.
As newer oil tankers begin using segregated tanks for ballast water rather than their crude oil tanks, BWT activity dropped dramatically, and required major design changes to function effectively at these lower levels
“No BETX” means “No Benzene, Ethyl-benzene, Toluene, and Xylen,” aromatic hydrocarbons that could be released into the air if special precautions are not taken.
[DAJ]
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