Greece-based manufacturer of ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) Erma First has filed an application with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for Type Approval for its full flow electrolysis BWTS.
Erma First FIT BWTS has been already approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and several classes, according to the company.
The system was successfully tested at three water salinities in Morocco, Spain, Netherlands, France, New York and Savannah. The testing period lasted 30 months and finished in autumn 2016, the company added.
“ERMA FIRST BWTS is … suitable for all special installation requirements in both newbuilds as well as retrofit project,” Konstantinos Stampedakis, Managing Director of Erma First , said.
The company also intends to submit an application for IMO Type Approval according to the revised G8 Guidelines in early summer 2017.
The USCG has approved systems from three companies so far. In early December 2016, the USCG awarded the first type approval certificate to Norwegian ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist Optimarin for its Optimarin Ballast System (OBS). Later that month, Swedish Alfa Laval Tumba AB and Norway-based OceanSaver AS received approval certificates from the USCG Marine Safety Center for their BWTSs.