If you are the owner of a superyacht which requires a ballast water treatment system, you will be pleased to hear that there is now a manufacturer who has looked at the requirements of this specialised market and designed a system accordingly.

Better still, the Evac Evolution system now has U.S. Coast Guard Type Approval having gained IMO Type Approval to the latest standard earlier in the year. This means that wherever you sail in the world, you will be in compliance with the ballast water regulations provided the equipment is operated correctly.

Does your yacht need a ballast water management system?

As far as the IMO is concerned, if your yacht is less than 50 metres in length or has less than 8m³ ballast water, then it is classed as a recreational vessel and is exempt from the regulations.

Superyachts are defined in a number of different ways by the US authorities, depending on the size and the number of passengers. Under their definition, a passenger vessel will be of at least 100 gross tons carrying more than 12 passengers, including at least one passenger for hire or it may be chartered and carrying more than 12 passengers. There are also definitions for seagoing motor vessels and small passenger vessels. Regardless of the precise definition, they all come under the U.S. Coastguard ballast water rules and are required to treat ballast water before discharge.

Who is specialising in ballast water systems for superyachts

The Evac Evolution system was developed by Cathelco who have more than 60 years’ experience in the marine industry and became part of the Evac Group in 2018.

“Cathelco made the decision to design smaller BWMS systems for superyachts alongside the systems made for commercial vessels. The mini systems are based on a combination of filtration and UV technology with flow rates between 34 and 135m³/h which are ideally suited to the requirements of most superyachts”, said Sam Wand, business development manager of Cathelco’s Superyacht Division, currently based at Echo Marine, an Evac company which serves the yacht market in Palma de Mallorca.

One of the advantages of systems based on filtration and UV technology is that the components are smaller than other technologies such as electro-chlorination. Space is always a major consideration when installing systems at new build, but particularly when the equipment has to be retrofitted.

With this in mind, the UV reactors and filters in the Evac Evolution mini-series have been reduced in size without any compromise in performance. It has enabled the footprint of the smallest skid-mounted unit to be just 1.6 metres long and less than a metre wide,

In retrofit situations, the equipment can be supplied in modular form, enabling individual components to be distributed around the engine room to make best use of available space. Where headroom presents a problem there is also the option of mounted the UV reactors horizontally.

Another important point is that the Evac Evolution system is completely chemical-free. This means that the potential hazards and safety implications of dealing with chemicals are completely eliminated, together with the cost of replenishment.

Ensuring compliance in all seawater conditions

When the U.S. Coast Guard issued the Type Approval certificate for the system, it was the first to show UV transmission (as opposed to UV intensity) as a real measurement of water quality. This is a very reliable way of ensuring that the ballast water is being thoroughly disinfected which is essential to keeping the yacht in compliance with the regulations.

“UV transmission data for ports around the world is readily available, said Sam Wand. “Therefore, ours is the first BWMS to allow owners to make an informed decision about choosing a suitable system for the areas where the yacht is sailing”, he added.

This combination of features and recently awarded Type Approvals has made the Evac Evolution system attractive to yacht owners worldwide resulting in the supply of systems for two newbuilds in Italy and a series of retrofits in Dubai, New Zealand and the USA within the last few months.

For further information contact:

Sam Wand, Business Development Manager

Echo Marine, C/Puig de’Alaro 10 bajos, 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Telephone: +34 971 40 02 13

Mobile +34 666 56 56 71