Larger superyachts lift ballast water system demand

BIO-UV Group said the growth in super- and mega-yacht newbuild deliveries is expected to lift demand for integrated ballast water treatment systems, with the company forecasting its own yacht installations this year will be about double the number completed in the previous year.

The company said it currently has between five and 10 yacht installations scheduled for delivery this year, supported by new agreements with major yacht builders in northern and southern Europe.

The company linked that demand to the expanding fleet of larger yachts.

BIO-UV Group BIO-SEA business development director Maxime Dedeurwaerder said, “Industry projections indicate the continued expansion of the global fleet toward 2030.”

He added, “As yachts increase in size and complexity, onboard ballast water treatment systems are becoming central to the design specification and systems integration process.”

Mr Dedeurwaerder said some designers had previously looked for ways to avoid installing ballast water treatment systems, but that attitudes were changing as yacht size increased.

He said some projects had historically been configured to reduce ballast discharge requirements through hull optimisation and tank arrangement strategies, especially where cruising profiles were predictable.

He also said that, although this had been technically feasible in some cases, operational experience had changed views.

Explaining that shift, Mr Dedeurwaerder said, “With experience and competitive pricing, it is less beneficial to design a yacht in a way to avoid installing a ballast water system.”

He added, “There are still differing views in the design community, but integration is increasingly seen as the practical solution.”