Ballast Water Management

Optimarin’s fast-track delivery model enables it to tackle the industry bottleneck for ship installations of BWM systems

Optimarin bullish about the refit market

“There is definitely a commercial rationale for carrying out retrofits in the near term rather than waiting due to the huge backlog of vessels that need to be retrofitted over the next few years to gain IMO compliance, which will be a licence to trade in the future,” says Optimarin’s chief executive Leiv Kallestad.

The Norwegian company is benefiting from a current wave of demand for BWM systems but Kallestad says the peak period for installation is moving out in time towards 2023 as owners seek to keep their ships operating as long as possible - and this may worsen a capacity bottleneck that could push up prices for equipment and retrofit work.

“No one wants to take their ship out of trading while markets are booming. At the same time, the continued presence of COVID-19, congestion in the supply chain and logistical challenges, crew changes and other operational disruption have resulted in various permit extensions of up to six months or longer,” he explains.

While this will extend the retrofit wave as it will allow more time for installation, Kallestad points out shipowners are still hopefully taking a calculated risk by deferring installations as the drydocking window tightens. An estimated 35,000 vessels still need to have BWM systems installed ahead of the September 2024 deadline for implementation of IMO’s BWMC.

“The space to walk through the door will become increasingly narrow and this could result in hasty, ill-informed decisions by shipowners to select a system purely based on cheapest price and the need to get it installed as quickly as possible,” he says.

Optimarin has though honed a fast-track delivery model with competitive pricing but without any compromise on quality for its proven BWM technology, enabling it to tackle the supply bottleneck. A BWM retrofit is a protracted process that requires detailed planning - typically with an engineering lead time of six months before installation - and drydock capacity being secured ahead of time.

The first stage is to determine the right BWM system based on several selection criteria including the size and type of vessel, classification, flag state and port authority requirements. Then procurement of the system is carried out by selecting a supplier followed by the planning stage that entails inspection and site engineering to look at structural, pipe, electrical and other elements, as well as carry out a 3D scan.

This stage also includes design engineering to transfer site data to a digital platform, arrangement of structural plans for piping and outfitting, a bill of material and pre-fabrication drawings, with class approval required for the design. The final stage is installation and commissioning of the BWM system with operational verification and class approval to ensure regulatory compliance.

“This is an extensive process that needs to be entrusted to a reliable supplier with a proven track record of supplying such systems to all types of vessels and is able to carry out fasttrack delivery given the capacity challenge for the industry,” Kallestad says.

Lifecycle cost is also a key factor as selecting a BWM system solely according to price can lead to an inferior system being installed with a lack of aftersales support, resulting in higher maintenance costs and increased downtime at ports that cuts revenue and raises fuel consumption, he explains.

Optimarin, which has so far installed close to 1,000 BWT systems with a substantial orderbook, is still able to deliver a system within 30 days due to a streamlined documentation process and the modular flexibility of its proven high-quality technology. But component shortages and logistical challenges that have hit many industries may make it difficult to give delivery guarantees.

The Optimarin BWT system is continuously evolving and improving, which has resulted in its components being scaled down and simplified through a rigorous product improvement programme. This has given more competitive pricing and a more compact system with a smaller footprint that makes it easier to install on larger vessels, while the company provides lifecycle support through its global aftersales network.

Optimarin has also formed an alliance with UK-based Newport Shipping that enables it to offer a turnkey BWM solution with drydock availability at one of Newport’s 15 partner yards worldwide and favourable deferred payment terms.

Kallestad believes, aside from regulatory compliance, there are clear long-term commercial benefits from installing a reliable BWT system in terms of higher vessel uptime, faster turnaround times, and fuel and power savings.

This is supported by Optimarin’s innovative cloud-based digital solution OptiLink that provides real-time access to BWT system performance data, 24/7 support and remote troubleshooting, and data transfer to shore for more efficient fleet-wide BWM. A key advantage of this solution is ease of reporting

to third parties such as class societies and port authorities to obtain compliance certification without the need for timely lab tests and inspections at port.

“This is part of a trend towards greener operations driven both by regulatory and market pressure. Shipowners that are ahead of this trend will undoubtedly have a competitive advantage in the longer term,” Kallestad says.

Northern European service for ERMA First systems

MAN Energy Solutions Benelux via MAN PrimeServ Omnicare strategy will be providing after-sales technical support to vessels equipped with ERMA FIRST BWM systems calling at ports and repair yards in Northern Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, ERMA FIRST customers will be able to utilise the skills of MAN Energy Solutions’ (Benelux) 20-strong team of expert marine engineers based in Rotterdam and Antwerp for on-board equipment services. These include troubleshooting, installation, maintenance, calibration and testing related issues.

ERMA FIRST is a leading manufacturer of BWM equipment and has installed over 2,000 systems on more than 1,500 ships worldwide. Its global after-sales network already encompasses locations in the US, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Panama, UAE, India, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Poland, Latvia and Ukraine. The addition of MAN Energy Solutions’ Benelux team to ERMA FIRST’s network further widens its reach.

“We have always taken great pride in our ability to offer customers the best after-sales network in the market,” said ERMA FIRST Managing Director Konstantinos Stampedakis. “This partnership with MAN Energy Solutions further strengthens our global capability as we look to assist our clients with ever more local support in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Dirk Willems, Managing Director at MAN Energy Solutions Benelux added, “MAN Energy Solutions Benelux is delighted to have agreed this partnership. We have a highly trained group of engineers in Rotterdam and Antwerp, who are ready to assist ERMA FIRST customers from Northern France to North Germany as well as the Netherlands and Belgium. The technical capability of our engineers is wellknown and we have unrivalled expertise when it comes to responsive and industry-leading technical support.”

ERMA FIRST’s recently introduced smallest and easiest to install BWM system

DESMI wins Børsen Gazelle award

The DESMI ream at the awards in Copenhagen

At an award ceremony in Copenhagen during early December, Denmark’s DESMI Ocean Guard was awarded the prestigious Børsen Gazelle 2021 award as the fastest growing manufacturing company in Denmark.

“For more than a decade, we have done our utmost to develop, manufacture, and sell BWM systems, world-wide, and our focused efforts and persistence are now rewarded with the Børsen Gazelle award for being the fastest growing manufacturing company in Denmark, as we have grown with a staggering 3,245% since 2017,” says Rasmus Folsø, CEO in DESMI Ocean Guard A/S.

“We are very happy and thankful for this acknowledgement of our achievement so far, and we want to thank Børsen for this recognition. We will continue to develop and market cost-effective, reliable, and high-quality BWM systems for ships, worldwide, which enables reliable and smooth ballast operations on-board the fleet of our customers.”

Each year, Børsen analyses Danish companies and nominates those who meet strict growth criteria for being nominated a Gazelle company. In 2021, Børsen nominated 1,958 Danish companies, but only one company won the prize for being the fastest growing manufacturing company - DESMI Ocean Guard.

DESMI Ocean Guard A/S develops and markets BWM systems for the removal of living organisms from ships’ ballast water. DESMI Ocean Guard is wholly owned by DESMI A/S, and its head office is located in Noerresundby, Denmark. DESMI has more than 185 years of history, and today the DESMI Group is operating within the Flow Technology segment with production, distribution centres, and sales companies around the world, and a product portfolio that includes pumps, oil spill response solutions, envirocare solutions, pumping solutions for defence applications, energy saving systems, automation, and BWM systems, all supported by a global aftersales service setup.

New CEO at Ecochlor

US-based Ecochlor has announced that the Company’s Board of Directors (BOD) has appointed Andrew Marshall as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will assume day-today leadership of the Company as of now. Steve Candito will continue to support the company as a senior advisor to the Ecochlor BOD and leadership team.

Mr. Candito expressed his confidence in the appointment of Andrew Marshall in a released statement, “When Andrew joined Ecochlor in 2019 as Vice President of Business Development he started the process of reshaping our international sales team as well as assisting in transforming the core of our business and growth strategy into the success that it is today! He was instrumental in expanding our product line into both tank cleaning via a novel gasfreeing technology, and small capacity BWM systems using UV technology whilst also leading the EcoOne Type Approval Task Force. His track record and depth of experience in the maritime business make him an ideal leader for Ecochlor at this time and into the future as we continue to leverage and build the Company to next level.”

Mr. Marshall has more than 30 years of experience in developing and launching emerging technologies. He is a seasoned executive with a proven track record in international business development. Prior to Ecochlor, Mr. Marshall served as the owner of Marshall Global Consulting, Ltd., the CEO of Coldharbour Marine and the COO of Spectral Fusion Technologies.

As CEO, Mr. Marshall will be the primary intermediary between the company and the BOD. He will be responsible for communicating on behalf of the Company, with shareholders and potential investors in addition to implementing a high-level corporate strategy in line with the organisation’s vision and mission.

“I am honoured for the opportunity to lead this exceptional organisation of highlydedicated and talented professionals,” said Mr. Marshall. “Under Steve’s guidance, the Company has grown from a start-up to a leading BWM company and we have made meaningful progress toward realising our top company priorities and goals. During his tenure, we have made significant advancement in the improvement of our operating efficiencies - strengthen our market penetration and brand, as well as increasing our service and chemical resupply locations across the globe. I am fortunate to be able to continue to build on the foundation that he has built along with the rest of the Ecochlor team.”

SORJ

Andrew Marshall, CEO Ecochlor