By
Alex Smith |
RWO, a supplier of water management solutions, is to provide its advanced water treatment system for New Zealand’s Inter-Island Resilient Connection Project (iReX) after being selected by KiwiRail.
Two new Interislander ro-pax ferries are currently under construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea, and will have RWO’s CleanSewage Membrane Reactor (CS-MBR) installed onboard. CS-MBR is a biological treatment technology which has been designed to minimise a vessel’s impact on the environment and exceed regulatory requirements for water treatment. The system is type-approved, in accordance with IMO MEPC.227(64).
“RWO is committed to providing state-of-the-art sustainable solutions and we are delighted that the CS-MBR system has been selected for the iReX project,” said Valentin Kirsch, area manage for CS-MBR at RWO. “The CS-MBR offers a future-proof solution for managing wastewater onboard, including nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Its unique two-tank design addresses the needs of each treatment process, while the system’s submerged ultrafiltration membranes in the final stage remove solids down to bacteria, virus and microplastic levels and guarantees compliance with the strictest requirements.”
“The iReX project will transform the Interislander connection by upgrading the existing fleet to improve passenger experience and increase capacity and efficiency,” said Massimo Soprano, ships programme director for iReX at KiwiRail. “The sustainability credentials of RWO’s CS-MBR system will help ensure environmental impact is kept to a minimum, while the technology itself will provide a treatment system that goes beyond regulatory requirements and offers a range of operational benefits.”
The first ferry is due to be delivered in 2025, with the second to follow in 2026.