Hamworthy is one of the first companies to receive type approval for sewage treatment plant that conforms to new standards, and has booked orders for such units from shipbuilders in China and South Korea.
Hamworthy booked orders for 100 Super Trident sewage treatment plants from shipbuilders in China during the first two months of this financial year, including 13 shipsets of its new ST-C series which is certified to meet IMO MEPC 159(55). These orders followed a record year in which Chinese shipyards ordered 500 sewage treatment plants.
The Hamworthy Super Trident sewage treatment plant is fully compatible with gravity and vacuum collection systems. It operates on the activated sludge/suspended aeration system, accelerating natural biological processes to produce a clean and safe effluent suitable for discharging at sea.
IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee adopted revised guidelines on effluent standards and performance tests for sewage treatment plant in October 2006. These new MEPC 159(55) guidelines will supersede the existing MEPC 2(VI) guidelines adopted in 1976, and specify tougher standards for all effluent quality parameters. The revised Marpol Annex IV related guidelines apply to equipment installed on existing ships on or after 1 January 2010 and new ships whose keels are laid on or after this date.
Existing MEPC 2(VI) sewage treatment plants do not conform to the new guidelines, so Hamworthy has developed enhancements to ensure that they do. As part of the type-approval process, land-based prototype testing over a period of eight months in Poole, England, was overseen by Lloyd’s Register.
Hamworthy has received both EC Marine Equipment Directive (‘Wheelmark’) certification from the UK Marine & Coastguard Agency and type-approval certification from Lloyd’s Register for the new ST-C sewage treatment plant series.
“So far we have received thirteen orders for the new ST-C units from two major shipyards in China, and we believe this is a new benchmark for our growth in the Chinese market,” said Barry Yang, Sales Manager for China. “We have received good feedback from our current customers and as we continue our invaluable support we look forward to receiving further orders from them and new customers”.
Hamworthy already has orders for 42 units of the new plant from two major shipyards in South Korea.
Hamworthy has also received a letter of intent and signed contract from the Chinese Navy to continue its supply of vacuum toilet systems. The company has been the nominated supplier of vacuum toilets to the Chinese Navy since 2005.
Hamworthy China also has 51 shipsets of vacuum toilets on its orderbook for commercial ships, totalling around 1,800 toilets.
