Type approval for Ballast Water Treatment system

Finnish-based Auramarine Ltd. has recently received an IMO type approval for its CrystalBallast® ballast water treatment system.
 
The approval was issued by DNV on behalf of the Norwegian Maritime Directorate after the successful land-based and shipboard testing in accordance with International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) “Guidelines for approval of BWM Systems (G8)” and DNV rules.
 
In addition, the electrical components were subjected to DNV’s “Environmental test specification for instrumentation and automation equipment, DNV Standard for Certification No 2.4”. These requirements are more stringent than the IMO requirements and include, for instance, also electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), vibration, low temperatures and damp heat testing.
 
Auramarine CrystalBallast® is a two-step process, with an efficient automatic filter to remove sediment and larger organisms, followed by an intensive medium pressure UV unit to disinfect and inactivate smaller plankton, bacteria and pathogens. According to Auramarine, the Combination of automatic filtration and ultraviolet light based ballast water treatment is becoming the leading technology, offering considerable benefits compared to other disinfection methods. Filter and UV disinfection is a proven purely physical and chemical-free disinfection process and it is not affected by salinity variations in seawater. Disinfection is fast and ballast water is ready to be discharged immediately after treatment without any by-products.
 
Ballast water is treated using filter and UV during ballast water intake and re-treated during ballast water discharge through the UV reactor only (filter bypassed). Re-treatment during discharge is necessary to eliminate possible re-growth of bacteria in ballast tanks due to cross contamination or incomplete intake disinfection.  Both process steps have been carefully selected to provide a minimal pressure drop over the treatment system and a small and compact installation area.
 
Birka Cargo Ab, former United Shipping Ltd, member of Eckerö Group has recently ordered two type CB 250 CrystalBallast® equipment for Eckerö Group/Birka Express, which are delivered in Autumn 2012.
 
Mr. Juhani Aarnio of Birka Cargo Ab says: “We feel confident that we have found a reliable supplier of ballast water treatment with good quality for a competitive price. This timely installation is in line with our environment policy. We believe that the CrystalBallast® system using filters and UV is the most suitable system for our vessels as well as for the environment, since no chemicals or other harmful substances are being used.”
 
Auramarine offers a full range of ballast water treatment systems from 75 m3/h to more than 3.000 m3/h. CrystalBallast® is available in both complete skid mounted modules for newbuilding projects, as well as prefabricated component kits for retrofits. Configurable design and compact size lead to affordable capital and installation costs, says Auramarine.
 
About Auramarine Ltd.
Auramarine has more than 30 years of experience in supplying heavy fuel oil supply units and other equipment for fuel handling to shipbuilding industry and power plants. As a market leader in its segment, Auramarine has gathered vast experience in liquid handling technologies and the know-how is now being used to develop new, environmentally friendly products like CrystalBallast® ballast water treatment systems and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) handling systems.
 
Auramarine is a privately owned company and has valid ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 3834-2 certifications.
 
www.auramarine.com

About Birka Cargo Ab

Birka Cargo Ab was founded in 1990 and is a member of the Eckerö Group. The head office of Birka Cargo Ab is situated in Mariehamn on the Aaland Islands with direct access to the accumulated experience and know-how of the owners.
 
Birka Cargo presently operates a fleet of 7 modern Ro-Ro vessels under Finnish flag. For the time being three vessels are chartered to Finnlines Plc, Helsinki, another three vessels are chartered to Holmen Paper AB, Norrköping, and one vessel is chartered to UPM Seaways, Kotka.

By Professional Mariner Staff