Sinotech and Ecochlor pen long-term framework deal: press

China's Sinotech has inked a collaborative framework deal with Connecticut-based ballast water management business Ecochlor, to foster joint sales and technical support on various products, including Sinotech's carbon capture and storage (CCS), maritime media outlet Robban Assafina reported September 5.

The framework MoU contemplates further negotiations to enlist Ecochlor's product and services offering, including its filterless ballast water management system EcoOne, for marketing into the Chinese market.

Sinotech meanwhile will gain access to Echochlor's internal business development resource as it tries to buy market share beyond China for its CCS and marine scrubber product range.

Ecochlor says its hybrid and filterless water management ballasts are easier for ship crew members to operate, with reduced power consumption and maintenance demands. Water ballast management helps reduce ecological harms associated with draining water from the ship's ballast tank.

Its CEO Andrew Marshall said: "I am pleased to announce this initiative with SINOTECH. We have put significant resources into researching partnerships with other like-minded environmental companies in the maritime industry.

"I look forward to continuing to build on our Agreement in the interest of jointly promoting our businesses so that we may better support shipowners in complying with all their environmental regulatory requirements both now and into the future.”

Sinotech has a 10-year "exclusive" agreement with national oil company Sinopec, aimed at developing Chinese sustainable technology products.

Its co-founder and vice general manager Phil Gao said: "We are very excited about this team-approach [with Ecochlor] for these products and our forthcoming innovative green low-carbon technology and high-end engineering equipment,”