About Us
Working to make ballast simple again. Independent BWMS consulting since 2020. In the industry since 2006.
An independent BWMS consultancy that has sat in every seat
Simplify Ballast provides independent, manufacturer-neutral consulting to vessel owners and operators worldwide. We help clients select, install, commission, troubleshoot, and optimize ballast water management systems based on real data and practical experience, not on a manufacturer relationship.
Why Simplify Ballast Exists
We live in a world with limited resources. We are all tied together through those resources, and most importantly through the seas. Those same oceans that carry the world’s shipping and the goods that we all need also carry life - amazing, abundant and diverse life.
When a ship moves ballast water or when that ship’s hull is fouled, it moves species to places they don’t belong. The harm that causes is largely invisible, but it is lasting: native wildlife displaced, fisheries and coastal communities weakened. Simplify Ballast exists to be a steward of these waters. We serve shipowners, crews, and regulators with honest, independent guidance, because we know they all just want compliance to be easy. They want ballast to be simple again. They want an efficient ship, free from fouling. We work to make environmental protection and biosecurity simple and practical, so that doing the right thing is also the easy thing. We do this for the good of our neighbors, for the health of the seas, and in service to the One who made it all.
Our Mission
To protect the Earth’s resources and aquatic biodiversity by serving as an independent, practical, and authoritative resource for Administrations, ship owners, vessel crews, enforcement and monitoring agencies, and relevant maritime stakeholders on the implementation of environmental regulations and the design, selection, installation, operation, maintenance, and approval of equipment designed to improve biosecurity and reduce the environmental impacts of shipping.
Our Vision
Simplify Ballast seeks to become the globally recognized leader in providing marine environmental consulting and regulatory advocacy on marine biosecurity with a focus on the design, verification, application, and implementation of equipment designed to reduce the environmental impacts of shipping. Simplify Ballast works to drive the maritime industry towards a sustainable future where the protection of both the environment and marine biodiversity integrates seamlessly with maritime operations for improved profitability, reduced burden on crewmembers, and a regulatory environment that incentivizes compliance.
Two decades, every seat at the table
Mark Riggio has been in the BWMS industry since 2006. Before founding Simplify Ballast in 2022, he was a port engineer and fleet manager at Crowley Maritime, designed and improved products at BWMS manufacturer Hyde Marine and Filtersafe, served as President of the Ballast Water Equipment Manufacturers Association, and surveyed vessels for ABS. He is BEMA's technical director today.
He's seen the problem from every seat at the table, including yours, which is exactly what it takes when your system isn't working.
Meet the Experts
Mark Riggio
Founder & Principal Consultant
Mark has spent over 20 years working in ballast water management as a port engineer and fleet manager, a marine engineer, a BWMS product manager, the technical director of the industry trade association, and an independent consultant. He has personally inspected, commissioned, and troubleshot systems on vessels around the world.
- Former Port Engineer & Fleet Manager, Crowley Maritime
- Former Senior Surveyor, ABS
- Technical Director, BEMA (its President through 2020)
- BS Marine Engineering Systems, USMMA
- Executive MBA, Katz/Pitt
- Former Head of Marine, Filtersafe
- Former Product/Market Manager, Hyde Marine (Kuraray)
- Former Regulatory Compliance Manager, R&B Falcon Drilling
- Published author and regular industry presenter
- Independent BWMS consultant since 2022
Andy Riggio
Marketing Lead
Andy handles marketing strategy, client communications, and business development for Simplify Ballast. With a background in nuclear power and a methodical approach to outreach, he helps connect vessel operators with the expert guidance they need.
- US Navy Nuclear Power School graduate
- Based in Houston, TX area
- Marketing strategy and client communications
- Business development and outreach
What Sets Us Apart
Manufacturer Independent
We do not sell BWMS equipment. Our recommendations are based entirely on what works best for your vessel, your routes, and your budget, not on sales commissions or manufacturer relationships.
Hands-On Experience
We've actually done the work: inspecting, commissioning equipment at shipyards, and troubleshooting failures at sea. Our advice comes from practical experience.
Global Perspective
Water quality data from ports around the world. Regulatory knowledge spanning IMO, USCG, and regional frameworks. Clients on every major trade route.
We Don't Guess
Data log analysis and water quality testing give us the evidence to back up every recommendation. We show you the data, explain what it means, and tell you what to do about it.