BWMS manufacturer says coronavirus reports driving interest in vessel disinfection units

Ballast Water Management Systems manufacturer Flow Water Technologies said it has seen a ’marked’ increase in interest in its disinfectant unit following recent comments by IMO, the International Transport Worker’s Federation (ITF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

“We’ve begun to receive enquiries from port and terminal handlers... and the interest on board vessels is high,” said Flow Water Technologies chief executive Mark Hadfield.

A statement from the company did not cite specifics but reminded shipowners that a single crew member exposed to the highly contagious virus can lead to quarantine for an entire crew and vessel.

Flow Water Technologies launched its DCD 2000 system, a combined drinking water and disinfection unit that eliminates the need for plastic bottles, in 2019.
The unit produces a safe-to-use sodium hydrochlorus solution that can be installed in hours on board vessels including tankers, container ships and cruise liners.

Mr Hadfield said the unit “ensures endless amounts of cleaning and disinfection control to clean and sanitise all the drinking water units along with endless amounts of liquid to clean the whole crew quarters of the vessel including the galley.
The unit produces drinking water by way of commercial-level pre-filtration prior to what it called ’ultra-filtration’.

To date, IMO has issued two circulars concerning the coronavirus outbreak. Circular Letter No.4203 provides information and guidance based on WHO recommendations and is especially pertinent to delegates attending IMO meetings. Circular Letter No.4204 deals with precautions advised to minimise risks to seafarers, passengers and others on board ships. IMO advises all member states to urge all stakeholders (companies, managers, crewing agents etc) to relay information to ensure that all parties on board ships are provided with accurate and relevant information on the outbreak and on the measures to reduce the risk of exposure if they are likely to be engaged on ships trading to and from ports in coronavirus-affected states.