The TA KEROperator - Tanker Operator

TECHNOLOGY – BALLAST WATER TREATMENT
does not mean maintenance free. Nothing in
this world is maintenance free. Our design
facilitates easy replacement of parts. This is
applicable for serious malfunction, as well as
normal maintenance and replacement of wear
and tear parts,” he concluded.
OptiMarin received Type Approval
Certificate for the OptiMarin Ballast System
(OBS) in November last year. It was issued by
Det Norske Veritas (DNV) on behalf of the
Norwegian Maritime Administration and
confirms OptiMarin’s compliance with the
IMO convention.
The OBS was tested extensively at the
Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)
in accordance with IMO’s G8 guidelines with
excellent results, the company claimed.
Shipboard testing requirement was
completed aboard a Klaveness cement carrier
using DNV and NIVA for testing and
verification. Based on the NIVA test results,
OptiMarin has received confirmation from the
California State Land Commission that the
system meets its standard for Best Available
Technologies to be implemented this year.
OBS is a mechanical system based on
filtration and UV and does not affect the
normal operation of the ship. It is easy to
install on board existing ships, as well as on
newbuilds and uses standardised components
for all flow configurations. The system is one
of very few treatment options that do not
introduce chemicals, electro-chemical
generators or biocides in its treatment process,
the company claimed.
The key benefits of the Type Approved
OptiMarin’s OBS seen installed.
OBS are that it has a simple and reliable
design with few movable parts. The system is
operated as part of the normal ballast system
with a low pressure loss.
The company delivered the worlds first
ballast treatment system to the cruise vessel
Regal Princess in 2000. In all, OptiMarin has
delivered seven systems prior to the current
regulations, including one to a product carrier.
The OBS is suited for any type or size of
vessel, the company said.
CEO Pål Sanner said; “With the certificate
in hand I must give thanks to Innovasjon
Norge, Stavanger, who has supported us
for the last three years. The pipeline of
potential order is substantial and 2010
deliveries will be numerous.”
Thus far this year, the company reported
orders for systems to be fitted on board eight
offshore support vessels for Norwegian
interests.
The IMO granted the Final Approval of
Active Substances to RWO’s ballast water
treatment system CleanBallast at MEPC 59
last year.
As a first step, RWO received the basic
approval of active substances from the IMO
in October 2006 and subsequently finalised
the land-based type approval of CleanBallast
in 2007.
Two of the three required tests were carried
out on board a containership, while the third
was due to be undertaken late last year.
With the newly granted Final Approval, the
ongoing shipboard type approval will be the
last step required for gaining the type approval
certificate. Therefore, RWO was hoping to
be issued with the full Type Approval
Certificate for its CleanBallast system by the
German administration this month (see
TAKEROperator, October 2009, page 20).
RWO is a part of Veolia Water Solutions &
Technologies, which in turn is a subsidiary of
Veolia Water.
Data collected
The 46,100 dwt US-controlled tanker S/R
American Progress, managed by SeaRiver
Maritime, was accepted into the U S Coast
Guard’s Shipboard Technology Evaluation
Programme (STEP) last August.
This was to demonstrate the use of and
RWO’s CleanBallast system.
March 2010 TANKEROperator 31