Offshore supply vessels are notorious for the lack of space for retrofitting any new equipment in the machinery space. Retrofitting ballast water treatment systems is a challenge, but one Evac has solved before
Evac Evolution ballast water management systems are to be installed on two platform supply vessels operated by Harvey Gulf International, the US marine transportation company that specialises in providing support vessels for deepwater operations in the US Gulf of Mexico.
2007-built Harvey Spirit and 2007-built Harvey Supplier (85.4 m overall) will each be fitted with Evac Evolution systems with the capacity to treat ballast water at the rate of 250 m3 per hour.
“We have seen a steady rise in orders and enquiries since achieving US Coast Guard type-approval last year and there is every sign that this will continue as more operators approach their compliance deadlines”, said Evac’s head of global sales for ballast water management systems Adam Rogers.
Based on a combination of filtration and UV technology, the Evac Evolution system has a feedback loop which uses UV transmission as the parameter for precisely determining UV dosage. This ensures effectiveness in challenging water conditions but saves on power during normal running.
Effective in fresh, brackish and seawater, the Evac Evolution system enables vessels to operate without restriction. The system is available with capacities from 34 m3 per hour to 1,500 m3 per hour in a single unit. It can be supplied in modular form for retrofits or skid-mounted for newbuild applications.
The Evac Evolution system was developed over 10 years by Cathelco, the UK manufacturers of marine equipment, who have been part of the Evac Group since 2018. In 2016, a Cathelco ballast water management system was installed on 2016-built Harvey Stone, a multi-purpose field support vessel, owned by Harvey Gulf International. This has operated successfully over the past four years and its record of reliability was an important factor in winning the contracts for the two latest vessels.
The Evac Evolution system has now been installed on vessels including cruise ships, container vessels, cargo ships, trawlers and polar research vessels. Its space saving features have also made it the choice for superyachts.
Ballast water treatment does not stop with compliance. Industry’s stakeholders discuss the issues in the Ballast Water Treatment Beyond Compliance webinar, which is now available to view.