The French Bio-UV Group has received what it describes as a ‘prestigious order’ from SIEM Ship Management to supply its Bio-Sea Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) for a trio of SIEM-managed car carriers.
The order, for retrofit installation to the Siem Copernicus, Siem Curie and Siem Socrates, is the latest in a series of deliveries of Bio-Sea B-Series equipment for installation onboard around a dozen SIEM Ship Management reefer vessels since 2021. In this latest order, BIO-UV Group’s maritime division will provide B02 Bio-Sea BWTS units with a medium to high flow rate of 300m3 per hour.
The Siem Curie and Siem Copernicus, both built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, were delivered in 2009 and 2010 respectively. These 43,810gt car carriers have a capacity for up to 3,205 cars, whereas the 47,090gt Siem Socrates, delivered by Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry in 2010, carries up to 4,900 cars.
Laurent-Emmanuel Migeon, CEO Bio-UV Group said: “We are delighted that our ongoing highly successful partnership with SIEM Ship Management, in which we have supplied Bio-Sea systems for reefer vessels, has continued with the latest order for retrofitting Bio-Sea B-Series equipment on three car carriers. This order clearly demonstrates SIEM’s confidence in Bio-UV Group’s innovative Ballast Water Treatment System solutions.”
Other SIEM ships fitted with Bio-Sea systems have included the reefer ships Star First, Star Prima, Caribbean Star, Colombian Star, Costarican Star, Wellington Star, Solent Star, Southampton Star, Cote D’ivoirian Star and the still to be commissioned Dunedin Star.
Bio-Sea B-Series offers ship operators a balance between cost, performance, and reliability, claiming cost-effective, simple installation and maintenance. The UV chemical-free system is approved by IMO and USCG. Benefits include zero by-product, zero active substances and zero-induced corrosion in pipes or ballast tanks.
Migeon said: “Our Ballast Water Treatment Systems deliver a safe, sustainable solution to protect marine biodiversity and prevent invasive species from developing across oceans. We have built our state-of-the-art solutions on more than 30 years of experience in UV technology for water disinfection across the group, and a growing number of clients from across the industry value our systems for their optimum design, high quality, and excellent levels of reliability.”
SIEM Ship Management’s commitment to the environment is demonstrated in its membership of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), an industry-led organisation that promotes sustainable marine industry best practices and focuses on educating seafarers, students, and the public about the protection of the global ocean, lake, and river resources.
Image: SIEM Car Carriers’ ‘Siem Copernicus’ is one of three PCCs to be retrofitted with a B02 Bio-Sea BWTS (credit: SIEM Ship Management)