Wilhelmsen Ships Equipment test installs innovative ballast water system on BW Gas carrier
24 September 2008 (Oslo, Norway): In keeping with its green shipping commitment, Wilhelmsen Ships Equipment (WSE) has announced the test installation of the Unitor Ballast Water Treatment (UBWT) system on leading clean energy carrier BW Gas' Berge Danuta. The deal marks the first ballast water system installation on a BW Gas vessel.
WSE, a Wilhelmsen Maritime Services (WMS) subsidiary, will also provide project engineering and installation supervision for the system, which has been specifically designed to fit the carrier's 800 m3/h ballast pump capacity. The 78,500 m3 VLGC Berge Danuta transports liquefied petroleum gases, propane, butane and ammonia at temperatures down to -50 °C.
"According to the latest IMO convention, vessels with ballast water capacities of this size are not obliged to meet performance standards before 2016," says WSE President Peter Stockley. "The fact that we have a system ready for retrofit now - and that BW Gas is proactive in installing such a system - says a great deal about the environmental dedication of both companies."
"After considering a number of technical solutions, we recognised that the UBWT system's small size, low energy requirement and low pressure drop made it ideal for retrofit installation," says Ola Petter Dahlen, BW Gas' Fleet Manager for Technical Operations. "A cooperation with an environmental standout like Wilhelmsen also fits strongly into our own dedicated green profile."
The UBWT system is predominately based on ultrasonic cavitation, supported by electro-chlorination and ozonation - all well-known water treatment techniques. The combination of methods provides a system that is not only efficient in saltwater and freshwater, but is also able to handle diverse water conditions such as high turbidity and polluted water. The system requires no additional storage facilities, as the disinfectants are produced from within.
The UBWT system is part of WMS' new Act environmental product offering, launching at SMM in Hamburg on September 23. Act combines cutting-edge water treatment, emission reduction and waste management systems, products and services with the industry's most comprehensive global network.
Wilhelmsen Ships Equipment is part of Wilhelmsen Maritime Services, a Wilh. Wilhelmsen group company. It is a world class provider of safety and environmental systems to the newbuild and retrofit sectors in the marine and offshore markets. The company is present in all major shipbuilding markets and delivers after sales service through its sister company, Wilhelmsen Ships Service. In 2007 the company delivered systems to more than 200 shipyards. For further information, see http://www.wilhelmsen.com/shipsequipment.
BW Gas is the world's largest owner and operator of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carriers and is one of the largest independent owners and operators of LNG carriers.
For more information, please contact:
Peter Stockley - President, Wilhelmsen Ships Equipment / [email protected] / Tel: +47 67 58 40 89,
Benedicte Gude - Communication Manager, Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA / [email protected] / Tel: +47 67 58 41 77,
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