(LONDON) — The Wartsila Sternguard in-water serviceable seal has won the Technical Innovation Award at the Seatrade Maritime Awards for the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa. The award was presented in a ceremony held on Oct. 31 in Dubai. The Wartsila Sternguard in-water serviceable seal was also chosen as the winner of the Environmental Technology Award at the Ship Efficiency Awards on Nov. 2.
The winner of the Seatrade Maritime Award was chosen by a jury comprising of technical and operational judges as well as industry judges, representing several renowned marine and energy companies in the region. The judging panel of the Ship Efficiency Awards consisted of independent experts from, among others, Lloyd’s List and University College London. The global Ship Efficiency Awards recognize excellence in operational and energy efficiency as well as technological innovation.
Wartsila’s seal is the first of its kind on the market and a result of extensive market research, data analysis, product development, testing and validation. It has been type-approved by the major classification societies.
The Wartsila Sternguard in-water serviceable seal, launched in December 2015, is a fully split, underwater serviceable seal that minimizes overhaul downtime and costs. The seal has been designed to provide a smoother, faster service, as well as enhanced overall performance and endurance. The seal can be used to retrofit any other type of seal and is available for merchant, offshore, IWW and cruise and ferry vessel types running on environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) or mineral oils.
The Seatrade Maritime Awards were held for the 14th time, under the patronage of Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World and chairman of Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA). The Ship Efficiency Awards ceremony took place in London, with Lloyd’s List as the event’s host partner.