26 March 2018 – Coldharbour Marine, a manufacturer of ballast water treatment systems based on unique inert gas technology, has engaged Japanese classification society ClassNK to assist in the process of obtaining Japanese type approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The approval is a requirement for all foreign companies in the marine sector seeking to sell their products to customers in Japan.
The type approval process, as required by Japan’s Ship Safety Law and the Marine Pollution Prevention Law, will involve an independent assessment and verification of Coldharbour Marine’s ballast water treatment technology as well as type approval of the product itself. An inspection of the company’s manufacturing plant in Linby, Nottinghamshire, in the UK may also be required.
“This is a key step in establishing our commitment to the Japanese market,” said Andrew Marshall, Coldharbour Marine Chief Executive. “This market is very important to us for a number of reasons. Japanese owners control the world’s second largest fleet, including many of the vessels for which our technology is ideally suited. Japanese owners control large numbers of bulkers, tankers and LNG carriers, which are all key target markets for us. Three of the world’s 10 largest owners are Japanese.
“In addition, Japanese shipbuilders are at the premium end of the ship construction market, appreciating high quality, technologically advanced ship hardware like ours. Our approach to business matches perfectly with the Japanese ethos of excellence and fit-for-purpose technology.”
Marshall said that Coldharbour had engaged in Japan’s type approval process in direct response to a number of requests from large Japanese ship-owning groups, among whom its unique treatment technology had already caught attention.
Marshall believes that the type approval process in likely to take about two months.
About Coldharbour Marine Ltd
Coldharbour Marine Limited is a UK-based design, engineering business with nearly four decades of inert gas and water treatment experience. The company has a long history in the inert gas generation sector and has in recent years developed Sea Guardian™ – a clean, green, compact “third generation” technology for use in LNG carriers and large tankers.
Sea Guardian™ inert gas generators incorporate a range of patented features that ensure stable, reliable, low maintenance operation and they are also integral to Coldharbour’s award-winning GLD™ ballast water treatment system.
Key features of the GLD™ system are that treatment takes place in-tank and in-voyage and without the need for any form of in-line filtration. This approach ensures no disruption to terminal operations during ballasting and no risk of re-growth of marine organisms on long ballast voyages. With the GLD™ system, large vessels are now guaranteed to arrive at terminals ready to load or off-load ballast without the risk of delay caused by BWTS operational difficulties.
The system is fully type-approved by IMO, with testing undertaken by both the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Lloyd’s Register. It also has US Coast Guard Alternate Management Systems acceptance and is currently undergoing the full US Coast Guard type approval process.
For further information please contact:
Paul Hubbard
Account Manager
JLA Media
paul.hubbard@j-l-a.com
+44 208 405 6343
