BWTS Newcomer Sees Early Success

Norwegian manufacturer of ballast water treatment systems MMC Green Technology reports it has sold more than 70 systems since going commercial with its MMC BWMS two years ago, 40 of which have already been installed on board vessels worldwide, the company said.

“With 40 systems installed, we are starting to get feedback from the operators,” said Børge Gjelseth, sales and marketing director at MMC Green Technology. “So far, our clients say our system is easy to understand and to operate.”

The company said there is more to come.

“Recently we signed 10 orders, where the vessels and clients consists of two windmill support vessels for Bernhard Schulte built at Ulstein, two general cargo/container vessels for Royal Atlantic Lines built at Remontowa Shipbuilding, three live fish carriers built at Aas Mekaniske; two for Sølvtrans and one for Bømlo Brønnbåtservice,” Gjelseth noted.

He continued, “In addition, one 2,800 passenger Ro-Pax ferry is being built at Meyer Turku for Tallink, one accommodation and work barge owned by Dalby Offshore to be retrofitted in Poland, and one live fish carrier to be built at Larsnes Mek, all being equipped with MMC BWMS.”

A significant part of MMC Green Technology’s order backlog is within the offshore supply market. “However, due to the slow oil and gas market, few new offshore support vessels are being ordered,” Gjelseth said. “It is in our strategy to enter new markets, which the list of new orders clearly indicates.”

He claims than MMC Green Technology has the most compact and user-friendly ballast water management system unit on the market for small and medium size ships.

An International Maritime Organization (IMO) convention on requirements on ballast water systems is expected to be ratified within the year. The aim of the convention is to prevent marine organisms moved worldwide via ballast water, thus interfering with the natural environment, through imposing cleansing. Before the Convention enters into force, it must be ratified by at least 30 countries that together represent 35 percent of the world fleet. It lacks about two percent until the target is reached.

“Together with a broad worldwide sales and service network, we welcome the convention to be entered into force in near future,” Gjelseth stated.