Optimarin secure 10 BWT system order for major Asian shipowner
Ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist Optimarin has secured a fleet agreement for the installation of 10 of its flexible, reliable and environmentally friendly systems with an unnamed Asian shipowner. The contract, covering a group of 6,700 TEU container vessels, was secured thanks to the firm’s retrofit expertise and market proven technology, the company said in its press release.
The first of the Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) units has already been installed, with two further systems following at the beginning of next year, and two more in spring 2016. Goltens Green Technology, which entered into an agreement with Optimarin last year as a ‘preferred retrofit partner’, will manage all design and supervision from its Singapore office.
Optimarin, which fitted the world’s first commercial BWT system in 2000, has now fitted over 270 OBS units worldwide, from an orderbook that has seen over 350 orders placed. The modular, reliable and easy to install and maintain nature of the system has made it the leading retrofit choice for vessels up to 60,000dwt.
The 10 vessels, each requiring 1000 m3/h system capacities, are managed from Hong Kong and will undergo installation work at Chinese yards. Goltens will use its proven retrofit process, employing precision 3D laser scanning and modelling as the basis for detailed design, prefabrication and streamlined system installation, to carry out the tasks. The two firms are no strangers to one another, having joined forces on nearly 60 worldwide retrofit assignments so far.
Optimarin, which recently completed work on extensive in-house testing facilities at its headquarters in Stavanger, is currently undergoing a full programme of USCG approval testing for the OBS. The system already boasts IMO approval, USCG AMS acceptance, and certification through DNV GL, BV, RMRS and CCS.