ERMA FIRST BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM A STEP FORWARD

Thursday, November 04, 2010

ERMA FIRST BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM has successfully completed the land based test according to International Maritime Organization G8 guidelines. The system was challenged from the North Sea water in Royal Netherlands Institute for the Oceanic Research, NIOZ on the island of Texel, The Netherlands and finally proved it’s high efficiency and efficacy. Following a pre-certification pilot trials period the official tests started in April 2010 and was finalized in July of the same year. The successful completion of the land based test in NIOZ is an endorsement of the technology which ensures meeting D2* standards at really challenging water.

ERMA FIRST has submitted the application of basic approval for system which makes use of active substances. The Basic Approval evaluates the toxic effect of the active substances and the relevant chemicals which are used by the system to human as well as to the marine environment. The non confidential dossier of the application is an MEPC.61 document. The evaluation of the proposal will be performed on the beginning of December 2010 during GESAMP-BWWG** 15th meeting.

ERMA FIRST BWMS is a modular robust system which has small energy consumption and footprint. The system utilizes special coated electrodes for the production of chlorine as a disinfectant. For the removal of coarse material and large organisms the system uses cyclonic separators. These units ensure high separation efficiency which results to low chlorine demand for the disinfection of the plankton. Moreover the system operates at constant flow rate and pressure drop even at tidal affected ports where the sediment load in the water is extremely high. Where even the most sophisticated filters experience clogging risks in such quality water. In addition, the special coating of the cell in combination with the system’s operation principle, ensure sufficient chlorine concentration even at low salinity waters.

* D2: Ballast Water Performance Standard according to the International convention for the control and management of ships’ ballast water and sediments
** GESAMP: Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection

Source: ERMA FIRST ESK Engineering Solutions S.A.



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