ERMA FIRST, an innovative Greek marine product manufacturer, has been developing ballast water treatment systems [BWTS] since 2009. As one of the most well respected BWTS specialists in world, it has successfully installed systems on a wide array of vessel types and sizes.

 

It currently holds an amended Type Approval from the China Classification Society (CCS) for its strong-selling FIT range of ballast water treatment systems and have been awarded Certificate under the Authority of the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The system, which uses advanced full-flow electro-chlorination technology, can be used on Chinese flagged vessels and is the first such system to receive approval in China under IMO Resolution MEPC 300 (72).

 

The approval is valid for the full range of models 75-3000 with the option of its three filter types: FILTERSAFE, FILTREX and HYDAC. 

 

As a result, owners and managers of Chinese flagged ships have the option to install a highly flexible, simple to use, low energy and fully compliant ballast water treatment system. 

 

ERMA FIRST has considerable experience working with Chinese shipyards on both newbuilds and retrofits, along with a proven track record across the international shipping industry as a whole. ERMA FIRST is proud to have a strong local technical presence through a Shanghai office and can provide excellent after-sales support both locally and globally.  

 

The ERMA FIRST FIT ballast water treatment system has a small footprint and can be installed on coastal vessels as well as larger vessel types. Chinese waters vary significantly, ranging from clear offshore waters to highly turbid coastal areas. Using advanced full-flow electro-chlorination, backed up with a filtration system, means that ERMA FIRST FIT is able to cope with challenging waters without impacting cargo operations. 

 

ERMA FIRST has 80 service engineers in China and has 10 years of experience installing and maintaining ballast water treatment systems. Its FIT system also holds USCG Type Approval, Final Approval by IMO and Class Type Approval. 

 

Georgios Rentzeperis, ERMA FIRST Director in Shanghai, said: 

 

"ERMA FIRST is ideally positioned to service the Chinese market with our expert engineers and considerable track record working in conjunction with regional shipyards, ship managers and owners. We offer a customer-centric and personal approach, which has served us well in both the Far East and Europe. Holding a Type Approval from the China Classification Society - and Certificate under the Authority of the Government of the People’s Republic of China - is a huge honour for ERMA FIRST."  

 

Major growth 

 

ERMA FIRST Group has recently completed two key acquisitions. 

 

In May, the company acquired German marine water specialist RWO GmbH. Founded in 1975, RWO provides water and wastewater treatment systems for ships, ports and offshore installations and is a market leader in bilge water separation systems. RWO’s product portfolio includes the treatment of drinking and process water, oily waters, ballast, wastewater as well as a comprehensive range of after sales spare parts and services. Over 16,000 ships have been equipped with RWO’s oil water separators since 1975.

 

"ERMA FIRST purchased a world leader in water treatment systems for the shipping industry with a strong customer base and a reputation for excellence and reliability," added Rentzeperis. 

 

"ERMA FIRST has a track record of innovation with our ballast water technologies and are well known for our high-quality engineering and customer first ethos worldwide. We are building on the past 46 years of RWO experience taking RWO, its products and people to the next level of international success.”

 

ERMA FIRST also purchased oneTANK earlier this summer, the world’s smallest and easiest to install ballast water treatment system. oneTANK is a small scale innovative, low-cost, IMO Revised G8 Code and United States Coast Guard compliant system. Based on a patented mixing technology developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, the system can be installed in larger vessels’ aftpeak tanks. It is also suitable for use aboard workboats, tugboats, semi-submersibles, fishing vessels and superyachts. The technology is already being adopted on ships in aftpeak tanks within Overseas Shipholding Group’s tanker fleet and on the dredger MV Charlock in the Netherlands.