THINKING INSIDE THE BOX. DAMEN INVASAVE SHOWS ITS CREDENTIALS

The IMO-certified system is an external ballast water treatment unit designed primarily for use in ports and harbours.

As of September 8th, 2019 the IMO’s Ballast Water Convention will extend its reach. From that date, the regulations will apply not only to newbuild vessels upon delivery, but to existing ones too. Existing vessels will be required to comply by the time of their first IOPP certificate renewal following that date. As ever, Damen Green Solutions is readying itself to provide the necessary support.

Damen launched the InvaSave 300 back in 2017 in preparation for the Ballast Water Convention coming into force the same year. The IMO-certified system is an external ballast water treatment unit designed primarily for use in ports and harbours. InvaSave treats ballast water in a single pass using mechanical filtration and ultraviolet radiation to remove and eradicate invasive organisms, to IMO-D2 standards, from inbound vessels. It can provide ballast water of the same quality to outbound vessels.

Demonstrating the potential InvaSave has, Damen was recently asked to assist a vessel that had experienced a failure of its on board ballast water treatment systems.

“Its versatility extends way beyond its mobility, however. Who would have imagined, for example, that a port-based treatment system could serve the offshore industry?” Asks Damen Green’s Philip Rabe. “Consider FPSOs – they are at sea for years at a time and need ballast water exchange only very infrequently. Nonetheless, they are required to comply with the regulations. Invasave provides a solution without the need for costly conversion – and without taking up valuable onboard storage space.“

SHOWING SUITABILITY WITH SERVICE

In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system Damen has developed the InvaSave Service. Philip explains:

With the InvaSave Service, we don’t only supply the InvaSave equipment for customers to treat ballast water, we come to you, operating the system ourselves, to actually treat ballast water in a certified and compliant manner.

It’s part of Damen’s goal to go beyond merely supplying products and to be an innovative maritime solutions provider.

“We recognise that InvaSave is an innovative concept and that, despite proving its effectiveness via certification and awards, operators may like to see its results first-hand before committing to its use. Therefore have taken it upon ourselves to prove the product!”

BALLAST WATER TREATMENT ON TOUR

Damen initially launched the service back in 2017 and now things are in full swing. The company has built four InvaSave units and has successfully operated them in north European ports.

“We have now conducted several projects, in different ports, for clients who would otherwise have been stuck with no ballast water management solution available. The InvaSave Service clearly demonstrates the validity of the InvaSave business case.” In order to further develop the InvaSave network, Damen is also participating in projects with other partners.

“For example, we are part of the EC-funded INTERREG Europe Blue Port Services project. This initiative aims at bringing together maritime stakeholders from throughout Europe to cooperate on issues relating to the management of ships’ effluents – including ballast water.

“With this we are performing demonstrations of the InvaSave in various ports. We are demonstrating what the system can do to a wide audience and, at the same time, playing our part in developing a consensus on best practice for reception station and maritime effluent management.

GROWING RELEVANCY

“The InvaSave Service and other demonstrations of the product have demonstrated what we believed from the start – that there is clear relevancy for port-based ballast water treatment. This relevancy will only grow in the coming months and years and we look forward to expanding the InvaSave network further.”