Structured and proactive product development has enabled Optimarin to offer more competitive pricing for its market-leading ballast water treatment system – without compromising on quality.
The market is heating up for such systems due to the rush to retrofit thousands of vessels triggered by the looming IMO deadline in 2024.
This has also created a wave of suppliers looking to cash in on high demand with aggressive pricing for their systems as shipowners seek the most affordable route to compliance.
“But lowest price does not necessarily mean economic,” says Optimarin’s executive vice president for sales & marketing Tore Andersen.
“Purchase price is important and we are happy to say that we are now able to compete with any other BWTS provider. But at the same time, initial price should not be the overriding deciding factor.
“When selecting a BWTS, there are a number of other important criteria which in our view should be considered in the overall cost equation.
“These include quality and reliability that determine future maintenance requirements and contribute significantly to lifecycle cost, as well as upgradability to ensure equipment is future-proof.”
Product improvement
To this end, the Norwegian ballast water treatment specialist has focused on continuous improvement of its BWTS by constantly refining the system in line with technological development to stay ahead of the market.
This rigorous approach has resulted in cost reductions through measures such as simplification and reduced size of components, which has also made its flexible modular system more streamlined and adaptable for different vessel layouts – including for larger ships with tighter space constraints.
And this has in turn translated into pricing benefits for the client that are vital to winning BWTS orders in a highly competitive market, according to Andersen.
As well as advantageous pricing, the Optimarin system offers proven robustness and reliability based on a track record of more than 1000 installations on all types of vessels, backed by a strong aftersales support network.
The so-called Optimarin Ballast System has been further enhanced with OptiLink™, an innovative cloud-based digital solution that enables real-time performance monitoring of the system, remote 24/7 maintenance and online software updates in support of operational uptime and compliance.
Value creation
“We also have a highly efficient and responsive organisation that is able to adapt quickly to market developments and demands. This combined with continuous product development has enabled us to offer a better system at an even more competitive price,” Andersen says.
And he concludes: “Installing a reliable system leads to value creation for the shipowner in the longer term through reduced maintenance costs, higher vessel uptime, faster port turnarounds, and fuel and power savings.
“Optimarin therefore has the ability to deliver a system that has both a competitive initial price and also represents an economic solution in the longer term.”
