Two Ro-Ro ferries of UK based Condor Ferries to be retrofitted with Wärtsilä’s new AQUARIUS READY ballast water management system

Helsinki, Finland, 19-3-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — The Wärtsilä AQUARIUS READY solution is a phased process that enables cost savings and installation flexibility for ship owners preparing their vessels for ballast water treatment regulatory compliance. Having Wärtsilä as a single point of contact between the yard and the different authorities is another significant benefit for the owners.

Two Ro-Ro ferries owned by UK based Condor Ferries are to be retrofitted with Wärtsilä’s new AQUARIUS READY ballast water management system (BWMS) solution. The AQUARIUS READY concept has been developed by Wärtsilä to prepare vessels for the fitting of BWMS, while minimising vessel downtime, thereby enabling more efficient operations.

The contract was signed in February 2014 and the final equipment delivery will take place within 12 months from the ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Convention.

Preparation work has already been undertaken onboard the ferries. This includes making the required connections to the main ballast line, installing the bypass and isolating valves, preparing the space needed, and carrying out the foundation work. These tasks were carried out when the vessels were dry-docked. The actual equipment installation and commissioning will take place at a time convenient to the owners following ratification of the IMO Convention.

Wärtsilä has the marine and oil & gas industries’ most comprehensive offering of products, solutions, integrated systems, and services. Its AQUARIUS READY solution is a phased installation process that enables the equipment to be installed at a time and location convenient to the customer. The READY concept avoids capacity bottlenecks in the delivery and installation of equipment, while providing the needed flexibility to accommodate the vessel’s operational priorities. The process towards compliance with ballast water regulations is, therefore, both timely and efficient.

“The demand for Wärtsilä BWM systems is increasing rapidly as owners prepare their ships for regulatory compliance. The Wärtsilä AQUARIUS READY solution enables cost saving and installation flexibility, while having Wärtsilä as a single point of contact between the yards, the class societies, and the flag state authorities is a huge benefit for owners,” says Dr Joe Thomas, Director, Wärtsilä Ballast Water Management Systems.

“This partnership with Wärtsilä has allowed Condor to be ready to fit ballast water treatment without the need to lay up any of our ships, since the preparation work, which requires the ship to be out of service, was completed during planned refit periods. Fitment can then take place in-service when the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments is ratified,” says Graham Belgum, Fleet Director for Condor. Condor Ferries operates ferry services between mainland England, the Channel Islands, and France.

Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® READY ballast water management system is a registered trademark.

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Wärtsilä Ballast Water Management Systems

Wärtsilä offers the following ballast water management system solutions:

Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® UV
A modular BWMS utilising a two stage approach involving filtration and medium pressure UV disinfection technology.

Wärtsilä AQUARIUS® EC
A modular BWMS that uses a two stage process, involving filtration and electro-chlorination (EC). The AQUARIUS® EC treats ballast water on uptake only and on discharge treated ballast water is neutralized if required.

For further information please contact:

Dr Joe Thomas
Director, Ballast Water Management Systems
Wärtsilä Ship Power
Tel. +44 7920 476448
joe.thomas@wartsila.com

Ms Mirja-Maija Santala
Media Manager
Wärtsilä Corporation
Tel. +358 400 793 827
mirja-maija.santala@wartsila.com

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximizes the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2013, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.7 billion with approximately 18,700 employees. The company has operations in more than 200 locations in nearly 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.
www.wartsila.com

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Two Ro-Ro ferries of UK based Condor Ferries to be retrofitted with Wärtsilä’s new AQUARIUS READY ballast water management system