Wärtsilä to supply BWMS for eight new chemical tankers
Wärtsilä has received an order to provide its Aquarius UV ballast water management systems (BWMS) for eight, new 33,000dwt chemical tankers currently under construction in Asia.
By Samseer M
Certified for explosion-proof (EX) requirements, the BWMS can be installed in Zone 1 hazardous areas, as per International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations.
The Aquarius system received EX-certification in early 2014 and this new order marks the first EX-system delivery after certification.
Wärtsilä Ship Power Ballast Water Management Systems director Dr Joe Thomas said: "This first contract for our EX-certified BWMS represents yet another milestone contract for Wärtsilä.
"Knowing that the entire system module is explosion-proof when installed within hazardous areas provides the peace of mind that alternative systems, where only the electrical components are certified, cannot."
"Knowing that the entire system module is explosion-proof when installed within hazardous areas provides…peace of mind."
Each chemical tanker will be equipped with two Wärtsilä Aquarius UV systems, in a partnership approach with the shipyard.
Wärtsilä's Aquarius UV BWMS performs a simple, two-stage process involving filtration and UV irradiation. The company currently offers three distinct BWMS standard modules with capacities ranging from 50m?3/h to 1,000m?/h.
The ship owners of up to 40,000 vessels will be required to install a BWMS after IMO ratification on the Ballast Water Convention, Wärtsilä said.
Ratification is expected to be enforced in the next few months and the US Coast Guard has already implemented its own legislation, stating that all ships will be required to meet the standards when sailing in US coastal waters.
In December 2014, Wärtsilä agreed to supply its BWMS to six, new bulk carriers being constructed at the Namura and Onomichi shipyards in Japan.
Image: Wärtsilä Aquarius UV ballast water management system. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.
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