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BIO-UV hones in on cruise retrofits for US compliance

ludovic rouzel, BIO-UV Group
Retrofit projects are under discussion with a number of cruise lines, according to Ludovic Rouzel, BWT contracts manager
French UV-based treatment specialist BIO-UV Group secured a contract to retrofit a BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system in a 28,890gt cruise ship.

Installation and commissioning are to take place during the vessel’s scheduled drydocking in Europe this September.

A modular BIO-SEA B01-0085 system with an 85m3/h flow rate will replace a competitor’s first-generation UV-type ballast water system currently installed on the vessel.

With the ship set to call at San Francisco next year, the competitor system needs to be replaced with a system compliant with US Coast Guard requirements.

The order marks BIO-SEA's first reference with this cruise line.

Upgrades or replacements for US operations

'Operators of cruise ships fitted with first-generation BWTS technology and which are revising their cruise itineraries to include US ports of call will need to upgrade when possible or replace these systems with USCG-approved units before they can enter US waters,' said Ludovic Rouzel, BWT contracts manager, luco Group. 'We are discussing similar retrofit projects with a number of cruise lines.'

In March, BIO-UV Group successfully completed the retrofitting of a modular 450m3/h capacity BIO-SEA unit in a 22,400gt cruise ship.

'This was a very successful project for BIO-UV Group which worked closely with the shipyard from the outset,' Rouzel said, adding that it was the shipowner's first experience of a BWTS retrofit but the installation and commissioning went very smoothly.

187 units supplied since 2013

Since its market introduction in 2013, BIO-UV Group has supplied 187 BIO-SEA units to an array of vessels, including cruise ships, ferries, mega-yachts, container ships, fishing and offshore support vessels, dredgers and cable layers.

It is the expansive cruise ship market, though, that BIO-UV Group has particular focus on, having already established a reputation for system reliability, performance and cost-efficiency in the segment.

Burgeoning expedition cruise sector

'According to analysts, the number of cruise ships is set to increase from the 314 vessels currently in service to more than 550 vessels by 2027,' said Xavier Deval, BIO-SEA business director. 'The emergent expedition cruise sector also provides significant opportunities for BIO-SEA’s smaller capacity units with flow rates between 10 and 90m3/h.

'We also anticipate strong growth in the retrofit market as operators begin to replace noncompliant first-generation systems with those that are approved to meet USCG and IMO D8 standards.'

Eight cruise newbuilds

Earlier this year, the French water treatment specialist signed contracts for skid-mounted BIO-SEA 300 m3/h capacity units for installation to eight cruise newbuilds.