Page 31: of Marine News Magazine (January 2017)

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BALLAST WATER TREATMENT is a signi? cant milestone, it is the ? rst of multiple system

The Typical BWT Installation: no such thing approvals that are needed to mitigate the threat of harmful According to Kunkel, the FBS project will deliver in the aquatic invasive species,” said. “One size does not ? t all, fourth quarter of 2017, but most other details about the so we will continue to evaluate other systems submitted customer and the barge itself were otherwise being closely by multiple manufactures with the intent to provide op- held. He told MarineNews in December, “The system will tions that meet shipping’s varying needs.” In other words, give the barge a combined 1,000 m³/hour of ballast han-

Optimarin may be ? rst, but there will be other approvals. dling capacity. Previously, we have installed 13 Techcross units and this is the ? rst Optimarin.”

For its part, Optimarin acknowledged that the proj-

Strong Out of the Gate

Norwegian ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist Op- ect was an important one. “The ability to trade in U.S. timarin naturally celebrated becoming the ? rst system sup- waters is key to global shipowners who want ? exibility plier to gain full USCG type approval. The development, for their ? eets,” said Andersen, adding, “Our system is which adds to their previously achieved IMO approval and technically proven, with almost 300 units installed world- certi? cation from a host of classi? cation societies, means wide, and number one for compliance. That is a key sell-

Optimarin’s UV-based technology has, for now, jumped to ing point for owners and yards that want their vessels to the head of the pack. Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen said meet all regulatory demands now and into the future.” in December, “This is a huge day for our company, and The two new systems are being installed on a 185,000 our customers. The USCG has the world’s most stringent barrel capacity barge. testing standards, meaning that once a system has approval Over time, AMTECH contracted as Construction Su- it is assured of total global compliance, now and into the pervision for several owners, and has selected several types future.” Optimarin’s Ballast System (OBS) utilizes a com- of ballast water treatment systems – all of which were de- bination of ? ltration and 35kW UV lamps to treat ballast water without the need for chemicals. DNV GL tested the system to USCG standards for fresh, brackish and marine water at the NIVA test facility in Norway.

Optimarin says that it installed the world’s ? rst com- mercial BWT system in 2000, and also reports its best year in business in 2016 (uncon? rmed reports of a 200% increase in business), taking orders from a wide range of shipowners, operators and yards. These include contracts with Atlantis Tankers, Vard Group, Saga Shipholding,

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Fisherman’s Finest, Solvang

ASA, and Carisbrooke, amongst others. Optimarin’s tech- nology is certi? ed by a comprehensive range of classi? ca- tion organizations, including DNV GL, Lloyd’s, Bureau

Veritas, MLIT Japan, and American Bureau of Shipping.

More than 60 OBS units have been retro? tted, ? tted in conjunction with engineering partners Goltens and

Zeppelin Power Systems. And, of particular note, Opti- marin has secured a two-system contract with Fincantieri

Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The agreement, which will see two 500 m³/hour capacity Op- timarin Ballast Systems (OBS) ? tted on a newbuild single clean products barge, underlined the ? rm’s segment posi- tion, even ahead of its USCG approval. Bob Kunkel, Pres- ident of Alternative Marine Technologies (AMTECH), con? rmed that his ? rm is controlling project management and construction supervision, with class and inspections provided by ABS and the U.S. Coast Guard.

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