Optimarin is continuing its strong 2016 performance with the announcement that the ballast water treatment (BWT) system specialist has picked up an order covering 15 vessels from VARD shipyards. The vessels, VARD 9 21 Design specialist module carriers, will be constructed at two yards in Romania - Vard Braila and Vard Tulcea – and one in Vietnam, Vard Vung Tau, the company said in its press release.
The win maintains Optimarin’s recent new business success, with confirmed orders for 2016 now approaching 100 units. Alongside VARD, other contracts of note have included a 46 vessel fleet agreement with Carisbrooke, a ten unit order for Atlantis Tankers, a further ten for the Royal Netherlands Navy, nine systems for Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group, three for Saga Shipholding (adding to an additional 26 systems already installed on its fleet) and two for Solvang ASA, amongst others.
Optimarin will deliver its UV-based Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) to the yards between Q4 2016 and Q4 2017. The versatile Topaz vessels, measuring 123m long and 16.5m wide, will boast the capacity to carry high deck loads of up to 1800 tons.
Optimarin’s OBS is currently in its final stages of the USCG approval programme and is fully IMO compliant. The technology is certified by a comprehensive range of classification organisations, including DNV GL, Lloyd’s, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan, and American Bureau of Shipping.
Optimarin, which focuses exclusively on ballast water treatment, installed the world’s first commercial BWT unit on the cruise ship Princess Regal in 2000. The business has since received orders for close to 500 OBS systems.