Wärtsilä's Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) has been granted Type Approval in accordance with requirements of the 2004 IMO Convention for the control and management of ships ballast water and sediments.
The Aquarius UV BWMS is the first system to have been fully endorsed and type approved by the Flag Administration of the Netherlands and is the result of a focused development programme which commenced in 2010. The Aquarius range became part of the Wärtsilä portfolio with the acquisition of Hamworthy plc in January 2012.
Two Stage Treatment Process
The Aquarius UV BWMS is based on a two stage treatment process using proven and validated system components. Upon uptake, seawater is first passed through a back washing screen type filter. The filtered seawater then passes through a UV chamber where ultra-violet light is used to disinfect the water before entering the ballast tank. On discharge, water from the ballast tank is pumped through the UV chamber for a second time to complete the disinfection process prior to discharge. The filter is not used during discharge.
Modular Approach
The modular approach provides maximum flexibility during system design and installation where key components are positioned to suit available space, a major advantage when considering retrofit projects. Retrofit installations can be carried out either during dry docking, at the quayside or whilst the ship is in operation, thus minimising any impact on ship downtime.
Land Based and Shipboard Trials
Working in partnership with the Netherlands' Flag Administration, independent testing facilities and the Lloyd's Register classification society, Wärtsilä tested and optimised the Aquarius UV BWMS during both land based and shipboard trials conducted in accordance with IMO requirements. Land based tests were conducted at the NIOZ (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) test facility and ship trials onboard the MV Twister, an LPG carrier owned by Chemgas BV.
Picture: The Aquarius UV BWMS, based on a two stage treatment process
