First EX BWMS delivery for Wärtsilä
Each of these systems will be certified for EX requirements meaning that the BWMS units can be installed in Zone 1 hazardous areas.
Dr Joe Thomas, director, ballast water management systems, Wärtsilä Ship Power, 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.”
He pointed out that with the IMO ratification on the Ballast Water Convention expected soon, Wärtsilä anticipates that its BWMS range will be very much in demand.
Each of the eight newbuild vessels, currently under construction in Asia, will have two Wärtsilä Aquarius UV systems installed. The particulars of this design required a partnership approach with the shipyard in order to successfully integrate the BWMS into the hazardous area, with the addition of deepwell pumps already delivered.
Wärtsilä has taken a systems approach to the EX validation process and the complete Aquarius UV BWMS module, rather than just the electrical components, is EX-certified. This approach improves accessibility, since the modular design allows some system components to be located outside the hazardous area, thereby increasing the availability and maintainability of the entire system.
