Ecochlor announces BWMS retrofit contract with Alaskan Tanker Company
Alaskan Tanker Company (ATC) will retrofit the Ecochlor®ballast water management system (BWMS) on board their fleet including three VLCC crude oil tankers and an option for one additional vessel. Each of these vessels are U.S. flag tankers with Zone 1 and Zone 0 hazardous areas, Ecochlor says in a press release.
The Ecochlor® BWMS is approved for installation in both US Flag and International vessels in hazardous areas rated Zone 1 or Zone 0 through their U.S. Coast Guard Type Approval certification. The installations will start in the fall of 2019 and run through 2021 at the Sembawang Shipyard, Singapore.
Steve Candito, CEO at Ecochlor said, “Alaskan Tankers has a reputation of shipping oil with the utmost concern for personnel safety and environmental protection. They have a ‘culture of responsibility, accountability at all levels’ and we are proud to have been selected by a vessel owner with such high standards. I look forward to our ongoing relationship ─ providing BWMS and after sales service with the excellence in performance that they demand.”
These vessels primarily transport crude oil from Alaska to US West Coast refineries particularly in California and Washington. These Pacific Northwest areas have the highest environmental standards and are specifically designated in the new VIDA legislation that was signed late in 2017 for more stringent requirements.
“We have been diligently evaluating BWMS to find one that will suit our needs ─ specifically a system that not only unfailingly meets the U.S. Federal and State environmental compliance standards, but one that is easy to operate and will keep our crew safe. Crew safety and environmental protection are of paramount concern to ATC and we expect the same from our operational partners. Further, ATC recognizes its responsibility to the citizens of the U.S. West Coast States, including Alaska. Thus, our ships must not only meet and exceed environmental standards, they must do so reliably to ensure that there is no interruption of critical oil supplies. Ecochlor understands these requirements and has agreed to work with us to ensure we meet these high standards,” commented Anil Mather, CEO at ATC.
The Ecochlor® Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) uses a two-step treatment process – filtration followed by chlorine dioxide. The system’s effectiveness is not impaired by variations in salinity, temperature, turbidity, organics, and vibration. The automated system is crew-friendly, has low power consumption and is well-suited for mid-sized to the largest ships in the world. There are no treatment or neutralization on discharge. Ecochlor BWMS has IMO and USCG Type Approval and meets or exceeds their demanding regulatory guidelines.