IHC Seals Earn DNV GL Verification

IHC Sealing Solutions has received an important third-party verification from DNV GL, a  ship and offshore classification society. This means that the company’s Supreme Ventus and Supreme Athmos seals (that guarantee zero oil emissions) are now compatible with mineral oils that are used in U.S. waters in compliance with the Vessel General Permit (VGP).

On December 19, 2013, the revised VGP, issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), came into force. This new permit mandates the use of environmentally acceptable lubricants for all oil-to-water interfaces, such as stern tube and thruster seals, on all merchant vessels that are 79 feet or longer and sailing in U.S. coastal and inland waters.

“The verification by DNV GL shows that under normal operating conditions, the oil-to-water interface is eliminated,” said IHC Sealing Solutions’ Marketing Manager Dustin van Horik. “Both systems prevent emissions to the surrounding environment. We are delighted that the DNV GL’s verification means that it is now possible to sail in US waters with mineral oils in combination with IHC Sealing Solutions’ Supreme Ventus and Supreme Athmos seals.”