Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species, which pose significant ecological, economic, and health threats. The systems treat and purify a ship's ballast water before it is discharged into a new environment.
Regulations dictate how ballast water is managed and discharged. The IMO Ballast Water Management Convention was adopted in 2004 and ratified on 8 September 2017. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has also regulated discharges in the USA through local regulations in conjunction with the EPA.
Risk of undesirable bio-invasions
All ships of 400 gross tons (300 gt for USCG) or more are required to manage their ballast water
All ships of 400 gross tons (300 gt for USCG) or more are required to manage their ballast water. A range of technologies have been Type Approved to purify a ship's ballast water, and treatment methods are dominated by those making use of active substances or UV radiation.
Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) remove or render harmless nonindigenous aquatic species and pathogens before the ballast water is discharged into a new location.
Therefore, BWTS provide ships the means to comply to the regulations and reduce the risk of undesirable bio-invasions that harm ecosystems, and cause economic and coastal infrastructure damage, according to Dr. Stelios Kyriacou, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of ERMA FIRST, a manufacturer of ballast water treatment and other sustainable marine equipment systems.
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| BWTS remove or render harmless nonindigenous aquatic species and pathogens. |
Leadership in the core product category
“We have already achieved leadership in our core product category, the Ballast Water Treatment Systems, and our vision remains for our new chapter, the decarbonisation solutions,” says Kimon Mademlis, Group Marketing and Communications Director, ERMA FIRST.
“This is the brand promise to our customers that we will always strive for excellence, innovation and stellar offerings.”
Flexible and adaptable ballast water management
Use of active substance treatments offers a flexible and adaptable ballast water management system
ERMA FIRST has developed a full flow filter electro-chlorination system, ERMA FIRST FIT BWTS, and has further expanded its product offering with the acquisition of complementary chemical injection technologies, oneTANK and Ecochlor, for ballast water management.
The use of active substance treatments offers a flexible and adaptable ballast water management system to marine operators, says Kyriacou. Electro-chlorination and chemical injection treatments are single pass on ballasting only, unlike UV where a secondary treatment is required at discharge.
Ballast water treatment systems
Active substance treatments are not impacted by water clarity (UV transmittance) and adapt to water quality challenges better than UV systems while in general have a lower operating expense and energy footprint.
ERMA FIRST ensures operational simplicity and lowers costs with their user-friendly ballast water treatment systems. Designed for easy installation and basic crew training, the systems feature automated operation that reduces manual work and ensures compliance with international regulations. Their flexible design fits all vessel types, minimising downtime and retrofit expenses.
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| ERMA FIRST ensures operational simplicity and lowers costs with its user-friendly BWTS. |
ERMA FIRST global service
ERMA FIRST offers global service and remote support, improving system efficiency
With low energy consumption and simple maintenance needs, the systems help shipowners reduce daily operational costs while ensuring reliable long-term performance.
In addition, ERMA FIRST offers global service and remote support, improving system efficiency and making vessel operations smoother, more reliable, and cost-effective across the fleet.
Combining products and services to support customers
ERMA FIRST provides a range of services to support customers from the initial sales to long-term operation. The company offers expert advice, system design, and, when requested, assistance during installation to ensure the best fit for each vessel’s needs. They also provide crew training for safe and straightforward operation.
Maintenance services, both scheduled and on demand, keep systems running efficiently. With remote monitoring, 24/7 technical support, and service engineers worldwide, ERMA FIRST responds quickly to any issue. “We supply spare parts upon request or as needed, and we maintain stock in major hubs globally,” says Mademlis. “ERMA FIRST ensures reliable, simple, and cost-effective support at every stage.”
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| ERMA FIRST provides a range of services to support customers from the initial sales. |
New sustainable and reliable products
Customers drive the business, while R&D provides new sustainable and reliable products
ERMA FIRST’s vision is to be a pioneer in the industry excellence in all they do. Customers drive the business, while R&D provides new sustainable and reliable products and after-sales service delivers customer support.
Here is the brand’s purpose statement: “Saving the oceans to safeguarding the planet.” ERMA FIRST is committed to a greener future, a sustainable world, and a bright tomorrow for the generations to come.
Expanding range of decarbonisation solutions
ERMA FIRST’s track record in ballast water treatment systems, as well as with other marine equipment such as oily water separators and sewage treatment plants, has critically and crucially delivered towards protecting the oceans. The BWTS ensures optimal protection of the seas, and the company offers an expanding range of decarbonisation solutions.
“In the maritime sector, technological advancement is driving a major transformation across operations, sustainability, and competitiveness,” says Kyriacou. “We are responding to growing environmental concerns and regulatory pressures, particularly from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, decarbonisation and net-zero.”
Environmental policy developments
ERMA FIRST maintains active R&D programs and invests in energy efficiency measures
ERMA FIRST monitors environmental policy developments and adapts and leverages their resources to the develop practical and cost-effective solutions for global shipping. “Our core strategic objectives include sustainability and environmental respectability with a strong desire to maximise our customers’ benefit and support their strategies to achieve carbon neutrality,” says Mademlis.
To this end, ERMA FIRST maintains active R&D programs and invests in energy efficiency measures, air lubrication systems (AL) and wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS), ship-to-shore power interface, advanced data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise ship operations, performance, and emissions in real-time.
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| ERMA FIRST maintains active R&D programs and invests in energy efficiency measures. |
Use of diesel electric generators and boilers
Decarbonisation measures target ship propulsion with fuel and energy efficiency improvements
Decarbonisation measures mainly target ship propulsion with fuel and energy efficiency improvements. Ships, however, also spend time in port where they engage in passenger and cargo operations, while the energy requirements are significantly lower than when in transit.
The use of diesel electric generators and boilers in port is responsible for the continued emission of GHG and particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere and is a major cause of noise pollution. The health and wellbeing of residents in the vicinity of ports is impacted by ship operations.
Reducing carbon footprint, lowering costs
The use of Alternative Maritime Power systems, like BLUE CONNECT from ERMA FIRST, enables ships to stop running their generators in port and utilise shore power for their needs, thus saving fuel, reducing the environmental and carbon footprint of cargo operations.
“The adoption of energy-efficiency measures targets reduction of GHG emissions, optimisation of fuel use, and correcting the energy performance of suboptimal ship designs,” says Kyriacou. ERMA FIRST’s energy-saving devices (ESDs) maximise the propulsive effectiveness of the propeller.
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| ERMA FIRST’s ESDs maximise the propulsive effectiveness of the propeller. |
Combinations of ESDs
FLEXCAP eliminates the hub vortex, while converting some of the rotational energy to thrust
FLEXCAP, a propeller cap, eliminates the hub vortex, while converting some of the rotational energy to thrust. FLEXFINS are attached to the hull to correct the flow around the stern preventing boundary layer separation thus reducing drag and losses.
FLEXRING is a duct fitted upstream of the propeller that homogenises the axial wake component, while the duct contributes to the thrust by virtue of the lift generated by the accelerating flow over the surfaces.
Combinations of ESDs can deliver significant performance gains, lower fuel consumption, reduce GHG emissions and improve a ship’s carbon intensity indicator (CII), says Kyriacou.
Embracing carbon capture and storage
Carbon capture and storage systems have an important role to play during the transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net-zero. Fossil fuels will be the energy source for ships’ propulsion in the near term because the shift to alternative fuels cannot be implemented instantly due to availability and capacity constraints.
ERMA FIRST recognises the need to provide a bridge solution between continued fossil fuel use and the necessity to reduce GHG emissions radically.
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| ERMA FIRST recognises the need to provide a bridge solution. |
Development of a regulatory framework
The ERMA FIRST CARBON FIT post-combustion on-board carbon capture and storage (OCCS) system provides a technically practical solution to achieve GHG emissions reduction, paving the pathway to carbon neutrality.
At IMO MEPC.83, a work plan on the development of a regulatory framework for the use of OCCS was agreed. With a scheduled completion by 2028, it is projected that broad technology implementation will follow.
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| ERMA FIRST CARBON FIT post-combustion on-board carbon capture and storage. |
Maritime and environmental awards
As a technology provider with a global reach, ERMA FIRST sets high standards of quality on both equipment and services. ERMA FIRST has won multiple maritime and environmental awards over the years, including:
- Technical Achievement Award 2013, Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards
- Technology Excellence 2013, Made in Greece
- Technology Award 2016, GREEN4SEA
- Bronze Award 2022, HR Awards
- Technical Achievement Award 2023, Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Awards
- Sustainability Award 2023, GREEN4SEA
- Bronze Award 2023, HR Awards
- Greek Business Champion 2023, Protagonistes
- Business External Focus 2023, Protagonistes
- Great Place to Work 2023
R&D expertise of ERMA FIRST
A milestone for the company and a proud achievement is the fact that ERMA FIRST belongs to a very small group of companies having won the Technical Achievement Award by Lloyd's List more than once.
This reflects the solid R&D expertise of ERMA FIRST and the long-standing and ongoing efforts towards technological excellence and impactful innovations.
