The first of Damen’s new LoFlo ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) has been delivered for installation in January 2016. The LoFlo 60 will be fitted on board the Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN) submarine support ship and torpedo tender HNLMS Mercuur (A900), as part of a maintenance and refit programme currently underway at Damen Shipyards Den Helder in the Netherlands.
The timing of the delivery is significant with the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention expected to come into force in November 2016. The LoFlo product, powered by BioSea, is designed to cater to the needs of smaller vessels with limited space down below. Superyachts, offshore vessels, utility support vessels and auxiliary vessels all fall into this category.
Damen is prepared for the new regulatory environment with LoFlo units capable of treating 30, 60 and 90 mᶟ per hour respectively using filtration and UV, in addition to its larger capacity products. With most BWTS having a capacity of 100 mᶟ per hour or more, the IMO-type approved LoFlo systems helps smaller vessels to avoid unnecessary investments, power consumption and excessive footprints.
