ARGO NAVIS received order confirmation for two Ballast Water Treatment Systems’ (BWTS) implementation engineering studies last month and already progresses in the planning and preliminary engineering stages.
In view of the expected USCG type approval of BWTS in the beginning of next year and the long time delayed ratification of IMO’s International Convention, many ship owners choose to delay any action, waiting for a clear signal for the BWTS implementation phase initiation. Already having applied and received extension permissions from the USCG, those owners with planned drydocking for ships of theirs in 2016 do not take the next step towards implementation, even if they have been thinking about it – some of them quite intensively – in the previous months or years.
Other ship owners though prefer to take advantage of the present low purchasing prices and use the forthcoming drydocking period for installing the BWTS, foreseeing both increased prices and difficulties in installation with riding crews and / or in lay-by berths when in the rush period.
However, given the continuous postponements of the BWTS related legislation enforcement and the known technological problems, both strategies have advantages, still not avoiding obvious risks.
In accordance with one of our key Clients’ long term planning and pro-active strategy, the last quarter of 2015 is the right period when engineering studies for the installation of those BWTS to be installed in the second half of 2016 are to be conducted and submitted to Flag Administrations / Classification Societies for approval in due time.
Two series of ships:
• one LPG Carrier with one sister vessel and
• one Product Oil Tanker (LR1) with three sister vessels,
will be fitted with BWTS:
• the first one with a full flow electrocatalysis system and
• the second with a chemical injection system.
With the completion of the installation engineering study estimated to be before the end of the year, the approval by the Flag / Class and any potential delay involved may not present any danger for actual delay of the installation preparation. The systems for next year’s installations have been already ordered and delivery time is secured to be appropriately scheduled to fit the earliest estimated DD dates.
