Saga Shipholding’s Entire Fleet Becomes BWT Compliant
Image Courtesy: OptimarinNorway-based shipowner Saga Shipholding has completed the installation of Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) throughout its entire fleet of 32 open hatch cargo vessels.
Saga chose Optimarin for the supply of ballast systems in 2011, and the company installed its first system on-board Saga Future in 2012. Since then, it has rolled the UV-based and environmentally friendly treatment units across Saga Shipholding’s fleet, signing the contract for the final installations for three 2,000 m3 BWT units for newbuilds from Oshima Shipbuilding, Japan in May last year.
The final installation was completed on the 47,000 dwt open hatch carrier Saga Viking during a scheduled docking in China. This vessel, along with the rest of the Saga fleet, operates with the primary purpose of transporting pulp from South America to markets in Europe and the Far East, according to Saga.
“We’ve been focused on BWT for a very long time now,” Tore Andersen, Optimarin CEO, said, adding that the company spent “more than 20 years perfecting the system.”
Besides the International Maritime Organization’s approval, and certification of OBS from several classification societies, including DNV GL, Lloyd’s, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan, and American Bureau of Shipping, the Norwegian ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist became the first system supplier to gain full US Coast Guard (USCG) type approval for its Optimarin Ballast System (OBS) in December 2016.
OBS utilises a combination of filtration and 35kW UV lamps to treat ballast water without the need for chemicals, Optimarin earlier said.
