Water treatment specialist BIO-UV Group has confirmed the successful completion of a major programme with shipbuilding partner Chantiers de l’Atlantique to supply BIO-SEA ballast water treatment systems for a series of five cruise ships.
The fifth vessel in the series, delivered by the Saint-Nazaire shipyard at the end of last year, was fitted with a BIO-SEA B-Series system designed to treat flow rates of 250 cubic m/hour. The project milestone means all vessels in this class built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique are now equipped with BIO-SEA UV ballast water treatment systems.
BIO-UV Group was selected to supply its B-Series BIO-SEA system due to its proven ability to provide reliable, chemical-free ballast water treatment across the full range of flow rates required by the cruise sector.
Maxime Dedeurwaerder, sales director for BIO-UV Group’s solutions, said the completion of the five-ship programme reflects continued confidence in UV-based water treatment technology within the cruise industry.
“Supplying ballast water treatment systems to all five vessels is a significant milestone for BIO-UV Group and confirms the strength of our long-term partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique and this cruise brand. This class sets high expectations for environmental performance, and we are proud that our technology consistently meets those standards across the fleet,” he said.
BIO-SEA B-Series systems treat ballast water using ultraviolet light without chemicals or active substances, enabling ship operators and crews to comply with IMO D-2 discharge standards while simplifying operation and maintenance. For large passenger vessels, the technology also offers predictable operating costs without the safety, storage or neutralisation requirements associated with other treatment systems.
According to Dedeurwaerder, these advantages are particularly suited to cruise ship operations, which often involve rapid turnarounds and port calls in regions with strict environmental regulations.
“Our UV treatment technology is increasingly being adopted by passenger ship operators, particularly cruise lines operating global itineraries with tight turnaround schedules and extremely high hotel-load demands,” he said. “This places real pressure on onboard systems, and operators need to ensure they have an effective ballast water treatment system onboard from the outset.”
He added that the cruise segment remains central to BIO-UV Group’s long-term strategy. “The sector continues to invest in new vessels designed around sustainability and long-term operational efficiency,” he said. “As such, we expect demand for robust and compact UV-based systems to continue as operators seek solutions that minimise maintenance, simplify compliance and align with their broader environmental commitments. Where reliability, compact footprint and safety are paramount, BIO-SEA has been engineered with those priorities in mind.”
“The completion of several prestigious cruise ship programmes demonstrates the value of UV-based systems, particularly as modern cruise fleets prepare for stricter regulations and increasing scrutiny of ballast water discharges,” he concluded.
