Alongside the unique Type Approval for the Digi Boiler automated dosing system, Wilhelmsen have also been certified as reportedly the first and only approved service supplier for DNV GL’s BMON+ class notation.

“Our system is tried, tested and proven at sea, but we understood that Type Approval was an absolute necessity, and so we initiated this process with DNV GL," said Rune Nygaard, Business Manager Ventures in Wilhelmsen Marine Products’ recently established Open Innovation division.  “In addition, having Wilhelmsen approved as a service supplier on behalf of DNV GL, as part of their BMON+ program would constitute a great benefit to our customers. They could have less frequent class inspections and therefore a lot more flexibility, on top of a better boiler protection”.

Designed to dramatically reduce the inherent risks associated with poor boiler water management, Wilhelmsen’s system monitors boiler water condition and doses the required amount of chemicals as and when needed. Delivering real-time condition monitoring, key boiler water data is accessible to both the vessel’s crew and onshore staff, via a custom-made online portal.

Wilhelmsen’s system is an ideal fit as it complements the enhanced approach towards boiler management advocated by the DNV GL BMON class notation. Aiming to negate the risk of corrosion and poor boiler water quality caused by inferior maintenance, more than 250 vessels have been granted DNV GL’s BMON classification since 2012. A DNV GL report published in September 2018 found that not a single vessel with the BMON notation had reported any significant boiler condition issues.

Tested and refined over the past four years, onboard eight working vessels, Wilhelmsen’s development partners have played a pivotal role in the development of the system. Endorsing Wilhelmsen’s concept from the very beginning, Hapag Lloyd have been utilizing the Digi Boiler system for more than two years, aboard their pilot vessels.

Now in its third and final iteration, Digi Boiler is now available to the wider market. The next phase of installations is in progress with a wide variety of customers recognizing the inbuilt cost and efficiency benefits of automated boiler water maintenance. Offshore floating platform supplier and operator Modec is one such customer.  

“Ensuring uninterrupted, consistent performance of the boiler systems aboard our floating production, storage and offloading vessels is absolutely critical for us to be able to deliver safe, efficient round the clock operations," said André Maurício Araujo Borges, Chemical Applications Coordinator, Modec. "We have evaluated and concluded that Wilhelmsen’s Digi Boiler system provides that piece of mind, accurately monitoring and consistently dosing water treatment chemicals as and when they are needed. Adding, “We are working in system implementation on board, looking to have it running there soon.”

The Digi Boiler system is based on an automated test and treat methodology controlled by pH, ORP and conductivity for boiler water control in combination with temperature, pressure and flow for sample consistency and safety. With the ship to shore communication enabling remote surveillance and support through the new Digi Boiler platform, this new technology provides optimum boiler protection.

Boiler manufacturer Alfa Laval’s perspective on boiler water condition is that it is of outmost importance. Alfa Laval says, “At all times the boiler water quality must be kept stable and handled correctly in order to optimize the performance of the boiler and to protect the boiler throughout its lifetime. There are different ways to keep the boiler in good operational conditions and the Digi Boiler solution from Wilhelmsen will be one that is interesting to follow.”

Partnering with Rainmaking Innovation for the past year to spin-out and scale-up existing Wilhelmsen solutions, Digi Boiler is the first project to benefit from this collaboration. Developing a new company to launch and deliver the system at scale to the wider market, Havtec, part owned by Wilhelmsen and Rainmaking is based in Singapore and led by CEO Raoul Wijgergangs.