Optimarin wraps up IMO G8 and USCG test program

Ballast water treatment specialist Optimarin has completed testing of its Optimarin Ballast System in accordance with the revised IMO G8 guidelines, the company said.

Compliance with the IMO Resolution, which is otherwise known in shipping circles as the Revised G8, is important for ship owners globally.

The revised guidelines from 2016 are applied on systems that started their type approval process from October 28, 2018, onwards, and all vessels installing a BWMS from October 28 this year and onwards will need to comply with the international BWMS Code.

The company said that completing testing ahead of IMO’s G8 October deadline will help its customers meet the most stringent regulatory requirements.

Optimarin has also upgraded its US Coast Guard (USCG) approval certificates to ensure compliance for zero to two hours holding time.

“We’ve built a reputation as a true specialist, with reliable, easy to install and operate technology that also has the highest specifications with regard to quality and compliance,” CEO Leiv Kallestad said.

“In a shifting regulatory landscape we wanted to send out a clear message that we are ahead of the curve, satisfying all requirements so owners and operators have a global ‘ticket to trade’, and one less thing to worry about.”

The testing procedures were conducted at the NIVA test facility in Norway from September 2019 to the end of June 2020, with DNV GL operating as the designated Independent Laboratory. In total, 36 tests were run for three salinity conditions (fresh, brackish and marine water), with zero interruption or mechanical issues recorded, the company said.

DNV GL is now undertaking final evaluation and documentation of the tests ahead of full regulatory application and completion.

Commenting on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Optimarin said the company managed to resume ‘business as usual’ having secured several new fleet agreements.

“It’s obviously been a time of disruption, for the industry and society as a whole, but we’re very satisfied with how the organisation has responded,” Kallestad concludes.

“The pandemic doesn’t affect the industry’s need to comply with regulations and safeguard the environment, so it’s gratifying to see the business continue to make such positive headway in 2020.”