Veolia and SBM Offshore have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop floating desalination units designed to address growing water scarcity in coastal and water-stressed regions.
The partnership combines Veolia’s desalination and water treatment expertise with SBM Offshore’s offshore engineering capabilities to deliver near-shore freshwater floating production units capable of supplying municipal and industrial users.
Floating desalination units target water-stressed regions
The proposed units will integrate advanced reverse osmosis desalination technology within offshore-style floating infrastructure. Each installation is expected to produce up to 100,000 cubic metres of freshwater per day — equivalent to the daily needs of approximately 500,000 people.
The partners are targeting multiple sectors facing acute water stress, including municipal water systems in coastal areas, mining operations in arid regions, and heavy industries requiring secure water supplies to support lower-carbon operations.
By locating desalination capacity offshore, the solution is intended to reduce pressure on onshore water resources, limit competition with local communities and provide greater flexibility than conventional land-based plants.
Flexible deployment and industrial resilience
According to the companies, floating desalination units can be deployed more rapidly than traditional onshore infrastructure, with shorter delivery timelines and the ability to scale capacity or relocate assets as demand patterns change.
This adaptability is expected to support industrial resilience by securing long-term water independence, reducing environmental footprint and enabling continuity of operations in regions increasingly affected by climate-related water stress.
Combining water technology and offshore engineering
The alliance brings together Veolia, a global provider of water technologies and desalination solutions, and SBM Offshore, which has decades of experience designing, building and operating floating offshore production systems.
Veolia will integrate its reverse osmosis and water treatment technologies into the floating units, while SBM Offshore will lead on engineering, procurement, construction, installation, commissioning and long-term operation.
Olivier Icyk, Chief Business Officer at SBM Offshore, said the partnership supports the company’s strategy to diversify into sustainable ocean-based solutions and unlock opportunities within the blue economy.
Arnaud Valleteau, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia’s engineering and procurement projects business, Water Tech, said water security is now inseparable from energy security and industrial competitiveness, describing the collaboration as a practical example of Veolia’s GreenUp strategic programme.
