Bilge water processing system with remote monitoring and control

A system for use on an ocean vessel to process contaminated water and transmit related data to a remote facility, comprising:

• a separation system having a housing that includes an inlet and first and second outlets, said separation system further including a pump coupled to said housing to provide a flow of contaminated water through said housing from said inlet to said first outlet, said separation system being operable to process contaminated water flowing through said housing and supply separated contaminants to said second outlet;
• a data acquisition interface coupled to said separation system, said interface being operable to acquire data relating to processing of the contaminated water by said separation system;
• a transmitter unit coupled to said interface to receive the data acquired by said interface, said transmitter unit including an antenna and being operable to provide wireless transmission of the data to a remote facility via said antenna;
• a global positioning system coupled to said interface, wherein said interface is operable to receive data indicative of the ocean vessel's global position and is operable via said transmitter unit to report the global position to the remote facility along with data from said separation system;
• and
• a controller for said separation system and an electrically-operable bypass valve coupled to route the contaminated water around said separation system such that the contaminated water does not pass through said housing, said controller including said interface and being electrically coupled to said bypass valve to control operation of said valve, said controller being operable to monitor the ocean vessel's global position using said global positioning system and being operable to inhibit or permit activation of said bypass valve in accordance with the ocean vessel's global position.