DNV-GL Type Aproval Awarded To Chelsea Technologies For Sea Sentry Wash Water Monitor

The Sea Sentry wash water monitoring system provides assurance that shipowners and operators are compliant with wash water discharge regulations.

Chelsea Technologies, a world leader in the design and manufacture of sensors for the maritime sector, and a Sonardyne company, has announced that its Sea Sentry wash water monitoring system for ship exhaust gas cleaning systems has been awarded type approval by DNV-GL. This accreditation, combined with certification for its measurement protocols from Class NK and DNV-GL, assures shipowners and operators that all available measures have been taken to verify that Sea Sentry provides accurate and robust data on compliance with IMO Annex VI wash water discharge regulations. It also underpins Chelsea Technologies’ commitment to achieving Class accreditation with type approval for all of its systems, ensuring the highest standards in quality and accuracy are upheld.

It is essential that wash water discharge is monitored at all times. Doing so allows shipowners and operators to prevent discharges that may exceed regulations and damage the environment through the impact of contaminants such as organic carbon, black carbon, polycyclic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Accurate wash water monitoring allows owners to mitigate the risk of potential fines and costly delays in port. For scrubber manufacturers, installing monitoring technology with their units provides reassurance to shipowners making a significant investment in scrubbers that they have the capability to monitor and manage wash water and compliance in a simple and efficient way.

Emma Johnson, Maritime Manager, Chelsea Technologies, commented:

‘Shipowners and operators have very little time remaining to take crucial decisions ahead of the 2020 sulphur cap. For those who decide to invest in scrubbers, it is critical that vessel operators work with knowledgeable experts to receive the training they need to operate new systems, along with the understanding to be able to interpret and apply the data in order to prove compliance and enjoy continued access to markets. Acting now will ensure companies stay ahead of regulations and protect future trade opportunities across the globe.’

Chelsea Technologies Sea Sentry

Sea Sentry provides a fully autonomous wash water monitoring system which monitors both the water inlet and outlet of wet exhaust gas scrubber systems. The system has the ability to accurately measure the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, absorbance, turbidity (to ISO 7027: 1999), temperature and pH of scrubber wash water. The system can accurately monitor wash water from open-loop, closed-loop and hybrid scrubber systems, setting the gold standard for accurate wash water monitoring.

In addition to type approval from DNV-GL, Sea Sentry and the methodology employed to accurately analyse wash water has been accredited by DNV-GL and Class NK, following extensive testing to ensure that Sea Sentry meets the required standards regarding calibration range, drift, accuracy, precision and noise, as well as the influence of turbidity, UV absorbance, temperature and salinity. The effectiveness of Sea Sentry’s mitigation method against air bubbles has also been demonstrated to the satisfaction of DNV-GL.

Johnson continued:

‘Accurate monitoring for compliance with environmental regulations is a vital prerogative for the international shipping industry ahead of the 2020. Owners and operators are under increasing scrutiny to provide accurate data to demonstrate compliance whilst also maintaining operational efficiency and profitability, and protecting their reputation within the market. Achieving DNV-GL type approval, in addition to certification for its measurement protocols is a significant step in our commitment to ensure for all of our monitoring systems meet the utmost standards in quality, accuracy, and operational efficiency, offering shipowners the reassurance they need that the significant investments they have made will ensure they will achieve compliance.’

Chelsea Technologies recently announced a significant order from Fuji Electric Company Limited for Sea Sentry, following an initial order in October 2018, a reflection of the industry-wide acceleration in the uptake of scrubbers. In addition to recent announcements, and in the lead up to the implementation of the 2020 global sulphur cap, the company has a strong pipeline of orders that extends well into 2020 and beyond.