Article Date: 21 January 2026
Veolia Water Technologies and SBM Offshore have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop and deploy floating desalination units aimed at strengthening water security in coastal and water-stressed regions.
The partnership will combine Veolia’s reverse osmosis desalination and advanced water-treatment technologies with SBM Offshore’s engineering, construction, installation and operational expertise in offshore infrastructure.
The proposed “freshwater floating production units” would be installed near shore and scaled according to demand. Each unit is expected to produce up to 100,000 cubic meters of freshwater per day — roughly equivalent to the needs of 500,000 inhabitants.
The companies position floating desalination as a faster and more flexible alternative to large onshore desalination plants, with modular offshore execution potentially shortening project timelines. Target markets include municipal water systems in climate-impacted coastal regions and water-intensive industries such as mining and petrochemicals.
The initiative reflects growing global interest in offshore-based water infrastructure solutions, as governments and industries seek resilient approaches to address mounting freshwater shortages.
Source: Mexico Business News