Deerberg-Systems, the German-based system developer and producer, has been active in maritime environmental protection and waste management for over 30 years. With continuous innovation and a market-led approach, the company has developed integrated waste management systems for all important waste streams and all kinds of maritime applications.
To date, more than 900 vessels have been equipped with waste management systems and components from Deerberg-Systems. Every installation needs to be a bespoke solution to cater to the individual requirements of each vessel, regarding type of vessel, persons on board and operational task and profile.
Development of modern waste management systems
Modern waste management systems today are highly integrated systems designed to almost automatically handle accumulating waste, often beyond the highest international standards. Solid waste, food and wet waste, recyclables, oily waste, hazardous and medical waste and large amounts of grey and black water, as well as the generated bioresidues, have to be managed with the lowest possible environmental impact and at the lowest possible operation costs. Ecological and economical interests go hand in hand today and are equally important.
Other drivers for the development of marine environmental technology are local rules and regulations, which in recent years have become more and more stringent.
An equally massive impact on the technical specifications and the way waste is handled today is the continuing limitation or prohibition. As most waste management concepts today are based on incineration systems, new future-oriented technologies have to be developed to make sure that owners and operators can manage their wastes with the same efficiency and with a comparably low environmental impact. In particular, ships which mainly operate in restricted waters and offshore applications that are continuously located in these areas require alternative solutions.
Waste converter for onboard waste management
To cater to these changed requirements, Deerberg introduced another cutting-edge technological innovation in 2012 – the Converter®.
It is not a replacement for onboard waste management systems, but an addition to them. It provides volume and weight reduction, a sterile end-product and, importantly, has no air emissions, so it can be operated 24 hours a day. In a single cycle it converts all waste, including dry waste, food waste, plastics, glass, fabrics and even metal into a sterile fluff. This fluff, which is highly energetic, can then be compacted into briquettes and, when taken ashore, incinerated for energy production. So the converter is a perfect answer to current waste management problems onboard a large number of ships. The unit is available in many sizes and can be installed as a stand-alone or integrated system.
The converter can handle various waste streams unsorted and delivers a sterile, dehydrated, highly energetic end product. As it produces no flue gas emissions it can be operated in harbours and coastal and protected areas.
Waste management systems for offshore vessels
After intensively working on established markets, Deerberg is now expanding into new business fields such as the offshore industry, where environmental sustainability is now a must.
The newly established Deerberg-Systems Offshore Division creates different packages and solutions depending on the type of vessel, its operational profile and the number of people on board. The smallest package is designed for e.g. living quarters with 25 people. The system size continuously increases then for living quarters from 50 to 150 people, 250 people and applications for 500 people. The packages are designed to meet the specific requirements of all kinds of offshore vessels; from OSVs, FPSOs, jack-up rigs, accommodation barges and floating hotels, to the complex needs of remote camps and living quarters on land.
All of these packages can be chosen with different equipment solutions depending on the approach – whether a traditional approach with e.g. an incinerator, or based on new technologies like the Converter®, which can grant enormous advantages in terms of space requirements, number of required machines, and free and safe operation in harbours and coastal and protected areas.
Marine environmental protection
It is our common goal to act in a responsible way towards our planet. Technologies to fulfil this target are available. Design and construction of new offshore facilities and the corresponding infrastructure should obey this target and include the necessary environmental technology in the initial planning phase.
With 130 cruise vessels, 45 ferries, 74 navy vessels, 28 superyachts, two river cruisers, 20 offshore and special vessels and more than 650 merchant vessels equipped, Deerberg Systems is acknowledged to be the worldwide leader in marine environmental protection.