Hamworthy Wins Retrofit MBR Order From DFDS
Hamworthy has received its first order for its wider demand Membrane BioReactor (MBR) technology from well-known ferry operator DFDS A/S. The contract calls for a bespoke advanced wastewater management system to be installed on board the Pearl of Scandinavia, replacing the existing original 1989 sewage treatment plant. The first stage of the job is scheduled to be undertaken in January 2011.
The first stage comprises the installation of steelwork materials for a new process, permeate and cleaning tanks. Due to the short dry-dock time, Hamworthy will manufacture the process tank, pump skids and pipework in kit form at the Hamworthy Water Systems plant in the UK, to enable it to retrofit through the ship’s existing hatches and doorways. It will then be assembled, welded and pressure-tested during dry-dock under the supervision of Hamworthy engineers. The remaining equipment will be delivered by April 2011.
Wider Appeal
Hamworthy Project Manager, Julian Nicholas, said that the MBR would be one of the first new generation Hamworthy Mark IV MBR to be delivered, demonstrating the company’s continuing research and development commitment to achieve lower operating costs, less operator intervention and to help protect the environment. “This MBR was sized to utilise the existing structure from the old sewage plant, thus minimising disruption and additional work needed by the owner”, he said. “With a bit of ingenuity we have been able to integrate the permeate and cleaning tanks with the process tank, making for a more compact installation and minimising any disruption. Normally the domain of large cruise ships operating in environmentally sensitive areas, advanced water treatment technologies are increasingly finding wider appeal in the commercial freight market. This order demonstrates the way that more and more operators are turning to environmentally-friendly technology, ahead of regulations that will have an impact across the passenger ship market.”
Upgrade Programme
Of the 63 ships currently operated by DFDS, the Det Norske Veritas-classed Pearl of Scandinavia operates between Oslo and Copenhagen. Rebuilt in 2001, the 178m ship is one of four passenger ferries owned by the company of similar age and class. DFDS Communications Manager Gert Jakobsen said that it was his understanding that the project was part of a broader programme to upgrade towards environmentally-friendly technologies. “This is exactly where we need to focus in our investments”, he said.
Whole Fleet
Based on biological degradation and membrane separation, the Hamworthy MBR process achieves the highest quality discharge without requiring any addition or generation of chemicals hazardous to the maritime or shipboard environment. International standards on wastewater discharge have steadily tightened and will continue to do so over the coming years. Hamworthy’s MBR system continues to develop in anticipation of these regulations. Since introducing its MBR technology in 2000, Hamworthy has supplied over one hundred MBR units to a range of new and existing cruise ships, ferries, offshore rigs, naval ships, and yachts. Some 58 MBR plants are in operation on board 27 cruise ships and a further 19 plants are on order for 10 cruise ships in various stages of installation and commissioning. Having just completed projects for the Pacific Sun and Pacific Jewel, the whole of the Carnival Australia cruise fleet is now fitted with Hamworthy’s MBRs.