Major BWM systems contract for OceanSaver

Furthermore, the Drammen-based company signed a Letter of Intent for five VLCC’s with another major Asian shipbuilder thus lifting its order book to some $40 million making it the leading BWM system supplier to the large ship segment.

“We are confident that the market now has accepted the OceanSaver technology as we are taking the lion’s share of the large vessel segment, which mainly is tankers and gas carriers as well as large bulk carriers. Shipowners are acting on IMO’s International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments which takes effect from 2012 for new vessels and we are witnessing an increased demand for our BWM system technology,” said Stein Foss, ceo, OceanSaver.

OceanSaver’s breakthrough came earlier this year when it won BWM system contracts with one of the leading Asian yards for three VLCCs, which together with current and other projects in the pipeline could bring their total order book up to $80 million or more this year.

“Our first commercial contract was the first of its kind within the large ship segment and signified a major breakthrough for IMO’s Ballast Water Management convention, as well as for OceanSaver. However, our recent and potential orders position us as the market’s foremost provider of BWM systems. We estimate the overall BWM market to be about $35 billion from 2010 to 2020,” said Tor Eiken, sales director, OceanSaver.

OceanSaver’s latest contract includes six VLCCs at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company. The ship owner is based in Hong Kong.

The contract is for the supply of OS BWMS 6000 EX are to be installed within the existing pump room size on all the contracted vessels. Ballast pumps will be steam driven with increased delivery head as the only major design change caused by installing a BWM system.

BWMS 6000 EX treats 6,000 m³ ballast water per hour can be installed in gas hazardous areas and is proven to quickly handle ballasting and de-ballasting operations.

OceanSaver’s BWM system applies a hybrid treatment approach comprised of a combination of filtration, cavitation, supersaturation (oxygen removal) and disinfection. It does not contain or use any substance that poses a risk to the marine environment, but offers simple and effective operations and control and has demonstrated compliance to the newly adopted performance standards for ballast tank coating schemes.

In terms of technological development, the OceanSaver BWM system is claimed to meet one of the strictest and most complex compliance procedures of the IMO and other approval authorities. In addition, it has the potential to meet the California Performance Standards governing ballast water management requirements for vessels over 300 gross registered tons.

With type approval certificates in their pocket and a stream of orders rolling in, OceanSaver is now focussing on successful commercialisation, manufacturing and logistics in order to meet the demand and to assure quality in its deliveries to clients worldwide.