Asia sales breakthrough for Alfa Laval

DENMARK's Alfa Laval, a marine desalination and thermal systems specialist, has made a significant breakthrough into the highly competitive Asian newbuilding market with its new technology.

Contracts have been won for vessels being built in Japan and South Korea for Chinese and Malaysian owners.

In Japan, two 42,000 deadweight tonne (dwt) container ships, under construction at Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the China Ocean Shipping Co (COSCO) will be equipped with Alfa Laval distillers, a central cooling system and the latest version of the Engard computerised control system.

This is the first time that the latest version of the Engard system will be delivered to newbuildings in Japan.

Each of the two Chinese container ships will be fitted with one, single-stage distiller producing 30 tonnes of fresh water daily.

COSCO specified that the vessels be fitted with Alfa Laval systems, including a computer-controlled central cooling system for the MAN-B&W main engines and auxiliaries, provided by the latest version of the Engard system.

Engard is a control unit designed specifically for centralised cooling systems using combined control of fresh water temperature and sea water pumps.

Utilising modern electronics and software, Engard provides a cooler package which is even more profitable to ship builders and vessel operators.

Alfa Laval's success in South Korea comes with the supply of two, double-stage, fresh-water generators to two chemical tankers being built at Hyundai Heavy Industries for Malaysian International Shipping Corp.

The units will be fitted on a 29,990 dwt tanker and a 18,130 dwt tanker.

Both vessels are due for delivery next year.

This is the first order for the type of distiller.

which offers half the energy consumption of the corresponding capacity of a single-state unit.