Technology group Wärtsilä is in the process of signing agreements with a number of major shipyards, the latest being Keppel Shipyard Ltd (KSL) of Singapore. The agreements are intended to establish cooperation and communication between the parties in relation to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Convention for Ballast Water Management, which is due to enter into force in September of this year.
The shared goal of the parties is to provide ship owners and operators with all necessary information and assistance concerning Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS). Wärtsilä has extensive experience and expertise in BWMS technology, and can provide the required design engineering, product supply, installation supervision, commissioning and after sales services. Together, the parties can provide full engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) capabilities, as relevant to each customer’s requirements. The shipyards, in addition, provide the dry docking facilities and the necessary installation resources. Because of the relatively short period of time before the regulations enter into force, the retrofitting market is expected to be extremely active.
“Wärtsilä has taken a proactive approach to preparing for the BWM convention regulations taking effect, and consequently we are very well placed to aid customers as they prepare to meet these upcoming requirements. We are pleased to cooperate with the major shipyards, such as Keppel Shipyard Ltd, since by working together we can provide a valuable service to ship owners in complying with the new regulations,” says Markus Ljungkvist, General Manager, Project Sales, Wärtsilä Services.
Wärtsilä currently has wholly owned BWMS production facilities in the UK and China, as well as manufacturing agreements with the China based companies COSCO Weihai and CSSC JiuJiang.
The intention of the IMO legislation is to address the issue of invasive aquatic species being carried in the ballast water of ships and then discharged to the sea where they can harm local species. Wärtsilä’s Aquarius BWMS technology has been type approved for the IMO regulations.
The Wärtsilä Aquarius range of Ballast Water Management Systems
These 2-stage solutions adopt a common approach to filtration, using automatic back washing screen type filters. A choice of treatment technology is provided through selection of either the Aquarius-UV, using ultra-violet light (UV) disinfection, or Aquarius-EC, which disinfects via side stream electro-chlorination. Both BWMS are IMO Type Approved, are available for both safe and hazardous area installation, and have USCG AMS status.