Optimarin, Goltens Ink Spare Parts and Service Deal
Optimarin informs it has signed an agreement with Goltens Green Technologies giving the Norwegian-headquartered ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist a global network of spare parts warehousing and service engineers. The framework agreement, negotiated at this month’s Nor-Shipping, will enable Optimarin to use facilities in Asia, North America and the Middle East to provide its worldwide customer base with local lead times for the commissioning and maintenance of its market proven Optimarin Ballast System (OBS).
“We know Goltens very well,” said Optimarin CEO, Tore Andersen. “We’ve worked with them for about six years, partnering with their skilled engineers to install OBS on more than 100 vessels. That’s more successful retrofits than any other suppliers within this highly specialist market. They know our technology and we trust their expertise, so we make an excellent team.
“Despite this, we’ve never had a formalized agreement, so I’m delighted to take our relationship one step further. This provides us with a truly global footprint, while it gives our customers local parts, engineers and the shortest possible lead times for their commissioning and maintenance needs,” he explained, adding, “With the ratification of the IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention, and USCG’s stringent requirements, ship owners must comply to sail. We, along with Goltens, are now ready and waiting worldwide to ensure that’s exactly what happens.”
Optimarin said it has been fielding a wave of new order enquiries since its UV-based system became the first to pass USCG’s BWT requirements in December last year. The firm, which was also the first ever company to install a commercial BWT system in 2000, has now sold in excess of 500 systems, with more than 300 installed worldwide. Its most recent orders were with Sweden’s Wisby Tankers, for three systems, and Hoëgh Autoliners, for a further two OBS.
“The market is picking up, because, quite simply, it has to,” Andersen said. “Compliance with the most stringent regulatory standards, namely USCG, is a must for any ship owner looking for optimal flexibility for their fleets. There’s no avoiding these important regulations and ship owners are now waking up to the fact that they need reliable, compliant, proven and easy to install systems… and they need them now.”
Andersen added that Optimarin’s technology and now its global commissioning and spare parts network are ready to meet market demand. “[With this new agreement] we are perfectly placed to give ship owners the global support they need, and the complete peace of mind they desire,” Andersen said.
Optimarin has been dedicated to the development of BWT systems since 1994. Alongside approval from IMO and USCG, the OBS is certified by a comprehensive range of classification organizations, including DNV GL, Lloyd’s, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan, and American Bureau of Shipping.
The firm first worked with Goltens on the retrofitting of its modular and highly flexible OBS technology on vessels for Saga Shipholding in 2011/12. They have since partnered on projects for clients including The Royal Netherlands Navy, Technip, GulfMark and MOL, amongst others.
“We have had a long and successful relationship with Optimarin working together to retrofit vessels all around the world,” said Roy Strand, COO of Goltens Group, who provides worldwide service from more than 25 locations in 15 countries across the globe, serving more than 3,000 clients each year.
“With this agreement, Optimarin customers can have confidence in getting professional system support anywhere Goltens operates," Strand said.
