RWO advanced water treatment system installed on Celebrity Solstice-class ships

The technology minimises a vessel’s impact on the environment, achieving high standards for effluent discharge and performance ahead of regulatory requirements.

An additional three orders have been placed to complete the upgrade of all Solstice-class vessels.

‘Sustainability is a top priority for Celebrity Cruises and we seek out every opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the highest possible standards in environmental stewardship,’ explained Nikolaos Kolyvakis, senior ship manager, Celebrity Cruises, which has worked with the intelligent water management solutions provider for a decade.

‘The new CS-MBR goes beyond regulatory compliance to minimise environmental impacts and maximise operational efficiency. It strongly aligns with Celebrity’s commitment to investing in technologies which help protect the world’s oceans and the communities where we operate.’

Removes microplastics and viruses

The CS-MBR treatment process features submerged membranes in its final stage and can remove more than 99% of solids and bacteria, including microplastics and viruses.

Stated Lars Nupnau, BDM at RWO, ‘By using membranes in this way, the resulting water is pure enough to be re-used in other ship functions such as laundry or as technical water. The automated cleaning-in-place (CIP) control also makes the system far easier for the crew to operate and extends the membrane lifecycle significantly.’

He went on to say, ‘If that wasn’t enough, the CS-MBR also has a smaller footprint and uses less energy than comparable systems.’

Meets new requirements for activity in fragile areas

CS-MBR is fully type approved as conforming with IMO MEPC.227(64) including the standards of section 4.2 addressing nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The technology also anticipates expansion of the regulations for existing vessels operating in Special Areas set to come into force from June 1, 2023.