The USCG type approval for PureBallast was issued in December 2016. It allows PureBallast 3 to discharge ballast within United States waters and explicitly certifies the system for use in all water salinities: fresh, brackish and marine. Type approval testing was performed using the CMFDA/FDA (staining) method and the same hardware, power consumption and flow as the IMO-approved version of the system.

PureBallast 3 can be used for as long as five years from the vessel’s compliance date (either original or extended). PureBallast 3 is both an accepted AMS and USCG type approved system. If the AMS operation meets a vessel’s operational needs, whereas the type approval does not (example given the 72 hours hold-time is a restriction), then the AMS can be used (I.e. system can be operated in IMO mode).