GoConsult
Ballast Water Management and Reseach

Welcome to Gollasch Consulting !

We are an independent service provider founded 1997 as an initiative of Dr. Stephan Gollasch. Located in Hamburg, Germany - the busiest German port - we provide services related to aquatic research and technology with a focus on ballast water. Since 2015 we are member of the Conctrol Union Certifications (CUC) U.S. Coast Guard accepted Independent Laboratory to test ballast water management systems. During the >150 vessel voyages for shipboard tests of >20 ballast water management systems we visited all inhabited continents and took >1200 ballast water uptake and discharge samples.  

Our main work focus includes: 

  • development of indicative and detailed ballast water sampling strategies;
  • evaluation of indicative and detailed ballast water sample analysis tools;
  • general support during the certification process of ballast water management systems
  • preparation of Basic and Final Approval dossiers according to IMO Guidelines G9 and the GESAMP-BWWG Methodology; 
  • training of port State control officers for compliance control with ballast water management standards; 
  • shipboard tests of ballast water management systems according to IMO und USCG requirements; as well as 
  • commissioning tests of ballast water management systems


Our research interest becomes clear due to our involvement in these predominantly EU-funded projects: 

The almost 20 years of research work included ballast water biology, sampling, non-indigenous and invasive species as well as risk assessment during the following projects:

  • COMPLETE (2017-2021);
  • ROSI (2016-2017);
  • ShiSouWas (2016);
  • TRACECA (2015);
  • BALMAS (2014-2016); 
  • e-CME (2014-2015); 
  • VECTORS (2011-2015); 
  • EMSA BWS (2010-2011);
  • TBP (2010);
  • BWO (2009-2014); 
  • JETSAM (2009-2012)
  • BaWaPla (2007-2009); 
  • IEEP (2007-2009); 
  • IMPASSE (2006-2008); 
  • DAISIE (2005-2008); 
  • Bremen Ballast Water Project (2001-2005); and 
  • MARTOB (2001-2003).