Optimarin has revealed that 2017 was its best ever year in business. The Norwegian-headquartered ballast water treatment (BWT) specialist delivered more than 60 of its USCG compliant Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS), recorded a healthy pretax profit, and saw continued investment provide a solid platform for on-going growth.
Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen (pictured) said: “We’ve been exclusively focused on developing BWT solutions for almost 25 years, but we’ve never been as busy as we were in 2017. I think the fact that OBS was the first system to gain full USCG approval in late 2016 acted as a catalyst, with ship owners choosing us for worldwide compliance and fleet flexibility, added to a proven track record of reliable operations.
“Our experience of retrofitting has also been key.We’ve now performed more than 130 retrofit installations, so owners know we are a trusted choice for ensuring that existing ships comply, no matter what space restrictions they have,” he added.
With 2017’s orders accounted for, Optimarin has now sold 550 systems, with around 440 delivered worldwide. Backed by a stable group of investors, with ambitious long-term plans, Andersen believes the next few years will see these numbers increase significantly, as ship owners move to comply with the IMO’s Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention.
To support ship owners, and differentiate the business, Optimarin made a bold move in 2017, as Mr Andersen explained: “In November last year we decided to illustrate our faith in our technology and long-term business stability by launching the BWT sector’s first five-year guarantee.
“This means that if a ship owner signs a fleet agreement with Optimarin for installation on multiple vessels, we will provide them with a five-year guarantee that covers all parts and servicing, worldwide. This is a unique promise of reliable, safe and effective operations, and, with total regulatory compliance, complete peace of mind.”
OBS is fully approved by both IMO and USCG, with certification through DNV GL, Lloyd’s, RINA, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan, and American Bureau of Shipping.
Current Optimarin customers include The Royal Netherlands Navy, Seatruck, Saga Shipholding, Technip, GulfMark, MOL, Solstad Farstad, and Hapag Lloyd, amongst others.