Wärtsilä Wins PSV BWT Contract

Wärtsilä wins contract to supply AQUARIUS® UV ballast water management systems to four Tidewater Marine Platform Supply Vessels (PSV).

The scope of supply for the vessels, due for delivery from the COSCO (Guangdong) Shipyard in 2014, includes four 250m3/hr capacity Wärtsilä AQUARIUS®UV BWMS, which will be assembled and shipped from Wärtsilä’s manufacturing facility in the UK.

Ballast water treatment with the AQUARIUS® UV system is achieved through a two stage process. Upon uptake the sea water is first passed through a back washing filter (First stage). The filtered sea water then passes through a UV chamber (Second stage) where ultra-violet light is used to disinfect the water prior to entering the ballast tank. Upon discharge, water from the ballast tanks passes through the UV chamber only for a second time.

The 3,800Dwt PSVs will transport pipes, equipment and cargo to and from pipe laying barges, oil drilling and production platforms. Recognising the associated operational profile, AQUARIUS® UV was favoured over the alternative AQUARIUS® EC system due to owner technology preferences and more favourable space, power and cost constraints on this ship application.

“This contract is our first commercial order for PSVs and the selection of a Wärtsilä ballast water management system by Tidewater Marine, L.L.C. underlines confidence in our ability to deliver in this emerging market” says Dr Joe Thomas, Director, Ballast Water Management Systems, Wärtsilä Environmental Solutions.

The first of the AQUARIUS® UV systems will be delivered to the shipyard in January 2013 and then at two-month intervals.