Bio-UV Group has developed and tested a containerised ballast water treatment system designed for the floating offshore wind market. The growth of floating projects worldwide has created new compliance challenges, as platforms moving across territorial waters must prevent the transfer of invasive marine species.
The system adapts Bio-UV’s type-approved BIO-SEA technology for installation in a standard container. It was funded in 2024 under the European Union’s ELBE EUROCLUSTER programme and is intended for use during assembly, transport, and maintenance of floating wind units.
Initial trials used a 300 m³/h capacity BIO-SEA B02-0340 containerised unit at the Port-la-Nouvelle in France. Unlike onboard systems, the containerised version requires treatment of filter backwash water on land, which was managed through a separate waste line. Tests examined connection compatibility, pressure drops, and power supply issues, and confirmed the system could deliver the dual-stage BIO-SEA treatment of filtration and UV exposure while handling backwash for disposal.
Although biological trials were limited by sampling conditions, discharge water met the D-2 standard in all cases.
The project’s first phase, from January to June 2024, focused on engineering and testing the prototype. A second phase, from July to December, extended the work to market analysis and stakeholder engagement.
This year Bio-UV has also launched the first commercial containerised unit for offshore wind under a “ballast as a service” rental model, enabling operators to carry out treatment at different locations.
