Wärtsilä has secured an order to supply its Aquarius UV ballast water management systems (BWMS) for six new bulk carriers that are being built at the Namura and Onomichi shipyards in Japan.
Under the order, Wärtsilä will provide 12 systems that comply with the regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This new development marks the first order for Aquarius UV systems for new-build vessels from a Japanese shipyard, Wärtsilä said.
The company is expected to start delivery of the systems at the end of this year and to conclude by mid-2016.
The Namura yard will build two 34,000dwt carriers and equip the vessels with two BWMS units, having a capacity of up to 500m³ of ballast water an hour.
Meanwhile, the Onomichi yard will install two Aquarius UV systems on each of its four 60,000dwt carriers. The systems will have a capacity of up to 1000m³ an hour.
Wärtsilä Ship Power ballast water treatment director Joe Thomas said: "This significant order shows once again that efficient ballast water management is becoming a priority for owners and operators around the world.
"We are grateful to our brokers in Japan, Harison Sangyo Co Ltd for their valuable assistance in finalising this contract."
Japan and Turkey recently agreed on the ballast water convention in order to meet IMO’s regulation. The ratification requires support from 35% of the merchant shipping tonnage worldwide.
Recently, Wartsila agreed to supply BWMS to Yangzhou Guoyu Shipbuilding’s 22 bulk carriers in China.
Image: Wärtsilä ballast water treatment director Joe Thomas and Harison Sangyo general manager Katsushige Nakato. Photo: courtesy of Wärtsilä.
