Aqualia Continues O&M of 150,000 m³/day Floating Desalination Facilities in Yanbu
Yanbu: Aqualia has been awarded a three-year contract by the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) to continue operating and maintaining three floating seawater desalination plants stationed off Yanbu. The contract reportedly runs from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2028, with an option for a further two-year extension. Its financial value has not been disclosed.
The three barge-mounted reverse-osmosis facilities have a combined potable-water production capacity of approximately 150,000 m³/day, with each unit designed for 50,000 m³/day. Bahri independently confirms that it operates three floating desalination barges and that each is capable of producing up to 50 million litres of desalinated water per day.
Aqualia’s Saudi operations page indicates that its HAAISCO joint venture has been involved in the operation and maintenance of the Yanbu floating desalination facilities since 2022. The treatment configuration includes reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, seawater intake and brine handling, together with chemical storage, dosing and post-treatment systems. Product water is transferred to onshore storage facilities.
Under the latest reported arrangement, Aqualia will provide the technical and operational services required to maintain continuous plant performance and potable-water production. Floating desalination can provide additional flexibility compared with fixed coastal infrastructure because treatment capacity is installed on marine platforms rather than requiring the entire process plant to be constructed onshore.
For Yanbu, the 150,000 m³/day fleet represents a significant supplementary desalination asset. Reliable operation will depend on membrane performance, pretreatment, energy availability, chemical management, brine handling, equipment maintenance and continuous monitoring of finished-water quality.
The contract also extends Aqualia’s operating presence in Saudi Arabia, where its portfolio includes water and desalination facilities associated with KAUST, Rabigh, Jizan and other major infrastructure assets.