Ballast Water Treatment Pump Supply for Bulk Carrier Retrofit Program

Project Overview

A Chinese shipping company retrofitting ballast water treatment systems on four 57,000 DWT bulk carriers needed booster pumps and backwash pumps to support the new BWT units. The pumps were not included in the BWT system package and needed to be sourced separately.

Challenge

• Pump specifications dictated by the BWT system maker — strict flow rate and head requirements
• CCS approval needed to match vessel class
• Space constraints in existing pump rooms — compact dimensions critical
• Four vessels retrofitting in sequence — deliveries needed to match drydock schedule

Our Solution

Hicool supplied 8 pumps (2 per vessel) from a CCS-approved centrifugal pump manufacturer:

• 4× Booster Pumps — 250 m³/h, 2.5 bar head, CCS Type Approved, mechanical seal
• 4× Backwash Pumps — 80 m³/h, 3.0 bar head, CCS individual cert
• All pumps supplied with base frames, coupling guards, and flexible connectors
• Delivered in 2 batches matching the vessel drydock schedule (vessels 1-2, then vessels 3-4)

Results

• 20-day delivery for first batch — 3 days ahead of drydock entry
• All pumps passed CCS survey and BWT system commissioning tests
• Compact design fit existing pump room layout without modifications
• Cost: approximately 60% less than European pump brands quoted by the BWT maker

Key Takeaway

BWT retrofit projects often require ancillary equipment not included in the treatment system package. Sourcing these components from CCS-approved Chinese manufacturers offers significant cost advantages while maintaining full classification compliance.