BIO-UV Group has completed the first commercial deployment of its containerized BIO-SEA ballast water treatment system (BWTS) at Port-la-Nouvelle in southern France, supporting the installation of the pioneering EFGL floating offshore wind project in the Mediterranean.
The landmark project, operated by Eoliennes Flottantes du Golfe du Lion (EFGL) – a project owned by Ocean Winds and Banque des Territoires, marks the first floating offshore wind development in Occitanie region (French Mediterranean Sea) and is a milestone for the integration of marine environmental technologies into the renewable energy supply chain.
BIO-UV’s containerized system was used to treat the water deballasted from three floating wind turbine platforms – each comprising three floaters arranged in a triangular structure – before their deployment offshore.
The rental agreement, signed with Euroports in May 2025, enabled Euroports to provide compliant deballasting services including the water treatment to EFGL during the assembly and installation phase. The first platform arrived from Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille in early July, followed by the second in mid-July and the final unit in August. Over the course of approximately two months, BIO-UV treated the ballast water of all three platforms in full compliance with IMO D-2 standards and local environmental regulations, before safe discharge back into the port basin.
The 20-foot containerized BIO-SEA unit, developed and proven during the EU-funded ELBE R&D program in 2024, offers a modular and mobile solution for treating ballast water during the construction and deployment of floating wind platforms. Unlike traditional onboard systems, the containerised unit can be positioned quayside, treating water from platform tanks before discharge, with all treated effluent handled locally to avoid the spread of invasive aquatic species.
The EFGL project comprises three 10MW turbines located just off the coast of Leucate-Le Barcarès (25km away from Port-la-Nouvelle) near Narbonne, representing the first pilot-scale floating wind farm in Occitanie Region (French Mediterranean Sea). Floating offshore wind is widely seen as a key enabler of Europe’s net-zero ambitions, opening new deep-water sites that fixed-bottom turbines cannot reach. The successful completion of the EFGL deployment underscores the growing importance of integrated environmental management technologies in this emerging sector.
BIO-UV believes the successful execution of the EFGL project will pave the way for broader adoption of containerised ballast water treatment solutions in the offshore wind industry. The company is exploring further commercial opportunities to deploy the technology in future floating wind developments across Europe and beyond.
