BIO-UV Group has completed the first commercial deployment of its containerised 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 significant milestone for the integration of marine environmental technologies into the renewable energy supply chain.

BIO-UV’s containerised 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.

“This project is an important milestone for BIO-UV Group,” said Maxime Dedeurwaerder, Solutions Business Unit Director, at BIO-UV Group. “It is the first time our containerised ballast water treatment technology has been deployed commercially in support of the offshore renewable energy sector, demonstrating not only the performance and reliability of our UV-based solution but also its versatility in new marine applications beyond conventional shipboard use.”

The 20-foot containerised BIO-SEA unit, developed and proven during the EU-funded ELBE R&D programme 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.

“Protecting marine biodiversity is critical to the sustainable growth of offshore wind,” said Dominique Moniot, Business Development Director at OCEAN WINDS France. “By ensuring ballast water is treated before it is released, we help prevent the transfer of non-indigenous species, supporting the ecological integrity of coastal waters as new renewable infrastructure is installed.”

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.

“This regional collaboration shows how innovation in water treatment can align with offshore wind and port industry challenges,” said Remy Moron, Eolic Director at Euroports. “BIO-UV’s system allowed us to offer a complete and compliant ballast water treatment service to our client OCEAN WINDS for the EFGL project without transporting this water by truck to permanent facilities, and without impacting the assembly planning.”

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.

“Offshore wind is entering a new phase where environmental protection, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency must go hand in hand,” said Laurent Emmanuel Migeon, CEO of BIO-UV Group. “This project proves that portable ballast water treatment can play a vital role in achieving those objectives, and we look forward to building on this success as the floating wind market scales up.”

BIO-UV Group, headquartered in Lunel, France, is a global expert in UV water treatment and ballast water management technologies, with systems installed on more than 800 vessels worldwide. Its BIO-SEA solutions are certified to meet IMO and USCG standards.