Maritime transportation is an essential aspect of global commerce, but it also poses a significant threat to the environment. One of the major environmental hazards associated with shipping is the discharge of oil and other pollutants into the sea. To address this issue, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has established regulations aimed at preventing and reducing the discharge of oil from ships. One of these regulations is the use of oily water separators on board ships.

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An oil-water separator is a device used to separate oil and water mixtures, thus reducing the amount of oil that is discharged into the sea. Despite the importance of these separators, there are several offenses that ships can commit related to their use. The following is a list of common offenses and the causes behind them:

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1. Overflowing separator: This occurs when the separator is not able to separate oil and water efficiently and the oily water discharge exceeds the permitted level. This can be caused by poor maintenance, incorrect operation, or insufficient capacity.
2. Discharge of untreated oily water: This occurs when the oil-water separator is not working properly or not in use and untreated oily water is discharged into the sea. This can be caused by a malfunctioning separator, incorrect operation, or deliberate bypassing of the separator.
3. Failure to maintain records: This occurs when the ship fails to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of its oily water discharge. This can be caused by a lack of training, poor record-keeping procedures, or deliberate falsification of records.
4. Non-compliance with discharge standards: This occurs when the ship discharges oily water that does not meet the required discharge standards. This can be caused by incorrect operation of the separator, lack of proper maintenance, or use of inappropriate discharge methods.

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It is important for ships to avoid these offenses in order to protect the environment and comply with international regulations. To ensure that oil-water separators are used correctly, ships should regularly inspect and maintain their separators and train crew members on proper operation. In addition, ships should maintain accurate and complete records of their oily water discharges, and ensure that the discharge meets the required standards.

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In conclusion, oil-water separators are essential for preventing the discharge of oil into the sea, but they must be used correctly in order to be effective. By avoiding the offenses listed above and taking the necessary steps to ensure proper operation, ships can help protect the environment and comply with international regulations.

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N&P Maritime is an authorized Singapore based service partner for RWO GmbH since 2016. We are one of their 40 global service stations. Our services include: 

1. Troubleshoot/Repair,
2. Authorized Deckma OCM(OMD) calibration
3. RWO equipment health check

N&P Maritime has an extensive inventory for RWO/Deckma consumable spare parts such as coalescer filter, absorber polisher, zinc anodes, gauges, desiccators and more, in our warehouse.

We are able to provide same day delivery, there is no minimum order quantity, and a price advantage due to regular consolidated shipment from Germany.

Contact us at sales@npmarine.sg and/or +65 97684033 if you have any questions.

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*RWO GmbH has been supplying future-proof made in Germany solutions for marine water treatment for over 45 years. Their product portfolio includes equipment for the treatment of drinking and process water as well as systems for pollution prevention such as oily water separators or sewage treatment plants. RWO is a technological leader in the field of oil/water-separation with over 16,000 units delivered worldwide. More than 40 global sales and service stations.

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