Ballast Technologies Inc. (BTI) has been the premier provider and installer of fixed ballast materials since 1983. Our product and service known as Perma Ballast, is widely acknowledged to be the quickest and most cost-effective method of ballast installation today. Our environmentally safe process and materials require minimal vessel modification, providing savings to the vessel owner or shipyard. BTI's experienced and capable staff and crew are exclusively dedicated to the installation of fixed ballast, ensuring both quality products and a professional installation process.
BTI is affiliated with Universal Minerals, Inc. (UMI), a leader in the processing and marketing of various metallic and nonmetallic minerals since the 1960's. UMI and its affiliates operate worldwide, ensuring immediate availability and close proximity to ballast materials for organizations around the globe.

Prior to installation, engineers and key personnel inspect the vessel to be ballasted and its location. Requirements such as electrical, water, compressed air, and equipment location are assessed. BTI engineers then submit engineered drawings noting location of equipment and diagrams of the installation system along with a written operating plan for the project. BTI uses its own experienced personnel and state-of-the-art equipment during ballast installations to ensure safe, rapid and efficient mobilization, installation, and demobilization. To minimize interruptions, BTI typically operates round-the-clock and on weekends.

BTI's ballast materials are properly mixed with water and pumped to the vessel via a combination of rigid and flexible pipes. The velocity of the medium and suspended solids assures even distribution of the ballast around projections, pipe, and other objects, leaving no voids. Excess water is removed as the ballast is installed and settles. This ensures that the in-place, fixed ballast is a dense mass which will not move or shift. Due to BTI's materials and placement method, no special handling or tank modifications are required.

All materials, including the fluid used to install the ballast, are naturally occurring, nontoxic, noncorrosive and environmentally safe. Thus, no gases or vapors are generated and no special handling is required upon installation or removal.
BTI pretests materials in its laboratory to ensure proper density and uniformity. Continuous testing is performed during ballast installation to verify installed density. Densities of materials range from 150pcf to 350pcf (2.4 mT/m3 to 5.6mT/m3).
BTI's ballast materials, which can also be used as weights and bridge counterweights, are all removable and reusable. All processes and materials used by BTI are approved by ASTM, ABS, MARAD, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Del Norske Veritas, and Lloyds.