Martek expands into Russia

Martek Marine will supply six systems to Gazflot, which has a fleet of nine vessels including jack-up rigs, icebreakers and research ships.

In another first, Martek’s calibration gases will be used for the first time on a pair of jack-up rigs in Yushno Sakhalin rather than on merchant vessels.

Ian Bennett, Martek Marine, said: “We’ve already seen a huge take-up in our systems aboard merchant vessels needing to meet the requirements of SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 19, but we’re also now seeing increasing interest from the offshore market.”

The landmark sale follows hot on the heels of the crucial type approval of Martek’s Navgard by the Russian Register.

Navgard uses real-time data logging providing essential evidence in the event of an accident.

The system requires a master password to disable it and notes when it is on and off meaning that incidents such as the one that occurred when the MV Karine Shepers grounded in 2009 can be avoided. Although the vessel had a BNWAS system on board it was switched off at the time of the incident.

IMO regulations require all ships to be fitted with a BNWAS before July 2015.