The Great Waters Research Collaborative (GWRC), a federal grant-funded research program of the University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) is currently seeking applications from developers of ballast water compliance monitoring devices to participate in a verification program for the Laurentian Great Lakes. This one-time program is made possible through funding from the United States Department of Transportation – Maritime Administration’s Maritime Environmental Technology Assistance Program.

A maximum of five technologies will be accepted into this program. Devices need not be commercially available to be accepted into the Great Lakes verification program, however, preference will be given to technologies having a fully developed prototype with written operation, maintenance, quality control and training procedures.

Verification will be performed in three phases including laboratory testing using single-species samples, land-based testing using ambient organisms from the Duluth-Superior Harbor of Lake Superior, and land-based testing using treated ballast water samples. Land-based testing will take place at GWRC’s Montreal Pier Facility in Superior, WI.

Developers interested in applying for services must first send an “Intent to Submit” e-mail to Kelsey Prihoda (kprihoda@uwsuper.edu) and Christine Polkinghorne (cpolking@uwsuper.edu) that briefly describes the device and its applicability to the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway System. For more information, visit www.uwsuper.edu/gwrc.