Optimarin successfully completes IMO G8 and USCG test programme

Optimarin was the first ballast water treatment manufacturer to have a product that achieved full USCG approval. The company also claims to be the first to install a ballast water treatment systems on a vessel and the first to offer a full five-year parts and servicing guarantee on fleet agreements and leasing.

As well as completing testing ahead of IMO’s G8 October deadline, the tests were conducted with two different filters simultaneously.

“We have built a reputation as a true specialist, with reliable, easy to install and operate technology that also has the highest specifications with regard to quality and compliance,” stated Optimarin chief executive officer Leiv Kallestad. “We understand our customers’ needs and are committed to providing them with technology that, in short, makes their life a little simpler – allowing them to focus on core operations safe in the knowledge they have a ballast water treatment system and support they can rely on.

“This emphasises that drive. In a shifting regulatory landscape we wanted to send out a clear message that we are ahead of the curve, satisfying all requirements so owners and operators have a global ’ticket to trade’, and one less thing to worry about. Optimarin is a long-term partner for its customers, so we see it as vital that we safeguard their operations as much in the future as we do today,” said Mr Kallestad.

The testing procedures were conducted at the NIVA test facility in Norway from September 2019 to the end of June 2020, with DNV GL operating as the designated Independent Laboratory. In total, 36 tests were run for three salinity conditions (fresh, brackish and marine water), with zero interruption or mechanical issues recorded. DNV GL is now undertaking final evaluation and documentation of the tests ahead of full regulatory application and completion.

In other news, Optimarin notes that the Covid-19 pandemic failed to have a significant impact on the organisation, with several new fleet agreements signed and “business as usual” for its delivery and service functions.

“It has obviously been a time of disruption, for the industry and society as a whole, but we are very satisfied with how the organisation has responded,” Mr Kallestad noted. “We would like to thank our dedicated staff, a superb supply chain and all our partners and customers for their hard work and support. The pandemic does not affect the industry’s need to comply with regulations and safeguard the environment, so it is gratifying to see the business continue to make such positive headway in 2020.”

Optimarin has now sold around 1,000 of its UV-based systems, with more than 650 installed and operational, of which approximately 40% are retrofits. Customers include names such as Royal Caribbean International, Fednav, GulfMark, Hapag Lloyd, Matson Navigation, McDermott, the Danish Navy, MOL, Seatruck, and Technip, among others.

The Optimarin OBS ballast water treatment system has certification from a comprehensive range of classification organisations including ABS, BV, DNV GL, LR, CCS & MLIT Japan.