Floating freshwater production units target coastal users

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 15 January 2026 sets out plans to develop near-shore floating freshwater production units (FFPUs) designed to supply up to 100,000 m³ of fresh water per day via desalination.

Target markets for the desalinated fresh water include municipal systems in coastal areas, mining operations in water-scarce regions, and heavy industry seeking a reliable freshwater supply for lower-carbon operations.

Veolia and SBM Offshore said the intended product was a “freshwater floating production unit” combining reverse osmosis desalination with offshore engineering and operations experience.

The FFPUs are intended to be deployed near shore, with the ability to scale output and relocate “as demand patterns shift”.

It is also claimed that 100,000 m³ per day is “equivalent to the needs of approximately 500,000 inhabitants”.

FFPUs could be deployed rapidly with “shorter, more robust delivery timelines compared with onshore construction”.

This approach would allow industrial clients to “secure water independence”, reduce competition for water resources with local communities, and demonstrate “environmental stewardship”.

SBM Offshore chief business officer Olivier Icyk linked the work to the company’s diversification plans, and said, “This partnership with Veolia marks an important moment in SBM Offshore’s journey to diversify our business.”

He added, “By combining our expertise in ocean infrastructure with Veolia’s leading desalination technology, we are taking bold steps to deliver sustainable solutions for water-stressed regions.”

Veolia engineering and procurement projects, water technologies chief executive Arnaud Valleteau, noted the arrangement was a response to overlapping supply constraints, stating, “Water security has become inseparable from energy security, resource security and industrial competitiveness.”

He added, “Reliable water access has become a strategic imperative, not just an operational requirement”.