Reman on the water

As part of ReMaTec 2017’s move into other sectors of reman, a maritime roundtable looked at the impact of new emissions standards on the shipping industry, and asked whether reman was the answer. Theresia Hacksteiner (above left), secretary general of the European Barge Union, questioned whether the Euro V legislation for new engines was going to be affordable for many maritime operators. Jan Willem Vroge, manager of reman services at Wärtsilä, said that engines are designed for 30 years, which is the lifetime of a seagoing vessel. This eant that parts are remanufactured every five to six years. “Some vessels in inland shipping are more than 100 years old,” pointed out Khalid Tachi (above, second from right), director of Expertise and Innovation Centre Inland Barging (EICB). “In inland shipping, it is common practice to remanufacture, remanufacture, remanufacture, remanufacture and remanufacture – and then remanufacture again!” he laughed. “It’s a good example of the circular economy.”