Wärtsilä becomes exclusive supplier of bilge water treatment units to Stolt Tankers

Wärtsilä and Stolt Tankers B.V. have signed an agreement whereby Wärtsilä becomes the exclusive supplier of bilge water treatment units to the Stolt-Nielsen group. The agreement ensures that newbuildings, and retrofits of existing Stolt vessels, will be fitted with Wärtsilä Senitec M-series bilge water treatment units and Wärtsilä Senitec BilgeGuard(TM) bilge discharge monitoring systems.

The high treatment capacity and safety of operation, that are features of the Wärtsilä Senitec units, were instrumental factors in the decision. By installing Wärtsilä Senitec bilge water treatment systems, the amount of bilge water to be disposed ashore can be reduced by as much as 95 per cent, a level of treatment that is almost unprecedented on the market. Wärtsilä bilge and oily water treatment units are certified according to the latest IMO and US Coast Guard regulations.

“We believe that continuous improvement leads to lean, agile processes and excellence in general. Stolt strives to select partners who display a similar philosophy. We recognized the excellence of continuous improvement in the Senitec unit, which is clearly the market’s most evolved unit,” says Rob Scharff, General Manager of Purchasing and Logistics at Stolt Tankers B.V.

The Wärtsilä Senitec M-series range encompasses the M500, M1000 and M2500 bilge water treatment units, capable of treating 0.5 to 2.5m3 of oily water per hour respectively. All units guarantee that the oil content in the treated water will be no more than 15 ppm (parts per million), with real case levels being below 1 ppm during continuous operation. Together with the Wärtsilä’s Solidpac add-on, the units can reduce the amount of bilge water for disposal ashore by as much as 95 percent, thus minimizing the environmental impact and significantly lowering disposal costs.

The Wärtsilä Senitec BilgeGuard(TM) is a bilge discharge monitoring system that constantly monitors and records the quantity of water being discharged overboard, as well as its oil content, and the time and location of the vessel. Should the effluent, for any reason, contain an oil level exceeding the set limit, the flow is rerouted to the sludge tank. The system provides both a safety net, and a means of documenting what and where discharges have been made.

All equipment from Wärtsilä’s water treatment product line is designed and built by Wärtsilä in Göteborg, Sweden.