ERMA FIRST wins South Korean flag approval for its BWTS

Greek ballast water treatment specialist ERMA FIRST has received the coveted South Korean flag-type approval for its market-leading ERMA FIRST FIT BWTS.

The ERMA FIRST FIT BWTS is an advanced modular system suitable for both newbuild and retrofit projects. The major components of the system include a high-end backwash filter and electrolytic cell that perform to the highest standard, according to the firm.

The system also covers an extensive capacity range of 50 – 3740 cbm/hr and is certified for operation in the most challenging conditions.

The system won a type approval by the administration of the Republic of Korea, which is an essential requirement for systems being installed on South Korean flagged vessels.

“ERMA FIRST has been supporting shipowners in Asia for many years and this Type Approval opens up a whole new market for the ERMA FIRST FIT BWTS ahead of the D2 Ballast Water Performance Standard deadline, in September 2024,” Konstantinos Stampedakis, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ERMA FIRST, said.

“We are delighted to have received this approval from the administration of the Republic of Korea. The addition of the Korean Type Approval means the system is now triple-accredited where Korean-flagged vessels are concerned, as it also holds IMO and USCG Type Approvals.”

“This is a meaningful milestone for ERMA FIRST in the Korean market. According to Korean Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, around 9,000 vessels fly the South Korean flag, 2,000 of which are merchant ships. There is a huge opportunity to support vessels under the South Korean flag to meet the BWMS D2 standard using ERMA FIRST’s reliable and proven technologies, and Magna Mare is proud to serve ERMA FIRST and its customers in the region,” Seong-Kyu Chae, Vice President, Magna Mare – ERMA FIRST’s agent in South Korea, added.

Earlier on, Dutch shipbuilder Damen has contracted ERMA FIRST to deliver the world’s smallest ballast water treatment system oneTANK.

oneTANK uses chemical injection methods to clean ships’ ballast water and therefore represents an important expansion of Damen’s ballast water treatment system portfolio, according to the Dutch company.