MAHLE International in Germany has secured a contract to fit a series of new container ships with the OPS ballast water treatment system. The 9,600teu ships for Hamburg Süd will each be fitted with an OPS 800 system that treats a ballast water flow rate of 800 m³/h, in accordance with the applicable IMO D2 standard. OPS comprises a pre-filtration system, a main filtration system, and a low-pressure UV irradiation facility for disinfection.

MAHLE obtained type approval for the OPS in April 2011. The supplier says it has since received positive feedback from the market. The advantages claimed for the system include ballast water treatment without chemicals, low operating costs, and the possibility of a modular design.

The ships are expected to be delivered between May 2013 and January 2014. They will be 332 m long and a beam of 48.2 m. Each ship will also be fitted with 1,700 reefer plugs.