Maersk poised to sign on ballast water systems

The first Triple-E deliveries will have PureBallast 2.0 systems but these will be upgraded when PureBallast 3.0 receives IMO type approval, probably in the final quarter of this year. The upgrades will be possible whilst the ships are trading. Both DNV and the US Coast Guard are now engaged in the type approval process.

The Danish container line’s likely decision demonstrates another of its initiatives to prepare for the future and, if finalised, will constitute a major boost to Alfa Laval’s position as a BWTS provider. However, it comes against a backdrop of increasing uncertainty on the IMO’s Ballast Water Convention timing.

Some experts believe that new regulations are now further from ratification than they were a couple of years ago, mainly as a result of concerns over type approval and port state control procedures. In a bizarre “catch-22” situation, IMO rules require that the Convention must be ratified before any amendments to Convention requirements can be made.

Alfa Laval has sold some 350 BWTS to date, of which around 100 are already commissioned. The latest PureBallast system has a range of benefits over earlier versions, including lower power requirements, more flexible installation and significant space savings.

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