Marina Barcelona 92 Spain

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Flovac was in charge of the design and installation of a Flovac vacuum sewerage system at the MB92 Port of Barcelona expansion project to collect wastewater and ensure that no environmental damage could occur in the area.

MB92 expands its installations at Barcelona’s port

Marina Barcelona 92 (MB92), a company dedicated to the maintenance and repair of superyachts, was in charge of carrying out the ambitious project to expand the port coastline of Barcelona, in the Port Vell area. The project, started in 2015 and completed in 2019, consisted of the construction of a large surface area in which a new boat lifting system (known as shiplift) would be located, with the aim of grounding yachts of up to 4,000 tons for repair and maintenance. Currently, it is the largest shiplift in the world dedicated exclusively to yachts.

The Project

The project, which involved a total investment of 50 million euros, was completed in August 2019 after 4 years of work. Thanks to the shiplift, customers have more ability than ever to work out of the water, which offers more flexibility, capacity and opportunities when it comes to maintaining and repairing yachts. Since its launch, the shiplift has already carried 22 superyachts with an average of over 75m LOA. It is a feat of world-class civil engineering in the heart of the port of Barcelona.

Raising Capacity

  • Capacity to lift vessels up to 115m LOA.
  • 30,000m2 hard standing area to host up to 9 vessels of up to 115m LOA on dry land
  • Hard standing area includes integrated keel pit with dimensions of 8m depth, 5m width and 14.5m length.
  • Bidirectional rail system to facilitate flexible and more efficient maneuverability of vessels once hauled out.
  • Supply of all essential services such as fresh water and shore power connections.

Flovac Looking after the Environment

Flovac was commissioned to install a vacuum sewerage system in this project in order to collect the wastewater generated by MB92’s activity. The goal of Flovac and the products it offers is to reduce the human footprint. Therefore, one of the main priorities was to guarantee the environmental protection of the area. The installation is made up of 2 independent vacuum networks; one for the wastewater from buildings and yachts, and the other one for industrial wastewater produced from yacht repair. The industrial wastewater is transported to a new treatment plant, at MB92’s own facilities. The facility has 4 tanks with 2 vacuum valves each. Flovac has finished the commissioning this July.

To find out more about Flovac’s port and marina projects you can click here

Flovac’s Role at the Americas Cup. Eco-Sustainable Sanitation in Barcelona

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Barcelona is gearing up for the prestigious America’s Cup, the world’s foremost sailing competition, with Flovac playing a crucial role in ensuring eco-sustainability. Notably, four out of the six team bases in Barcelona will be equipped with Flovac’s advanced pneumatic sewerage network. This innovative system is designed for the efficient and eco-friendly evacuation of sewage and bilge water.

Flovac and the America’s Cup: A Sustainable Alliance

Flovac’s involvement in the America’s Cup, to be hosted next year in Barcelona’s port, highlights the company’s commitment to sustainable sanitation solutions. The cutting-edge pneumatic sewerage network, featuring vacuum valves, is recognized as the most energy-efficient sanitation system available today. It will serve four team bases, underlining Flovac’s dedication to environmental stewardship in major sporting events.

The competition will see five teams from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, the United States, and France vying to claim the iconic Hundred Guineas Cup from the current holders, New Zealand’s Emirates Team. The preliminary regattas, featuring the smaller AC40 boats, have already set the stage for next year’s climactic showdown in Barcelona.

The America’s Cup demands the highest standards, not just in sailing, but in all supporting infrastructure. Accordingly, Flovac has undertaken extensive modifications to its existing facilities at Marina Vela, Marina Barcelona 92, Marina Port Vell, and the Muelle Oriental. These upgrades ensure that the America’s Cup bases, all located in Barcelona’s Port Vell, receive top-tier sanitation services.

Marina Port Vell Barcelona

Flovac’s pneumatic vacuum valve system stands apart for its minimal energy consumption and airtight design, which effectively eliminates odors. Even in the unlikely event of a pipe burst, the system’s vacuum nature prevents spillage by drawing in outside air. This feature guarantees no environmental contamination, aligning with Flovac’s ethos of eco-sustainability and energy conservation.

International Experience

With a track record of successful projects in diverse locations like the Caribbean, the United States, Vietnam, and Australia, Flovac brings a wealth of international experience to the table. “We create bespoke projects tailored to the unique needs of each port,” says Bruno Galindo, Flovac’s Commercial Director. “Our system can be customized or entirely redesigned to meet specific requirements.”

The Flovac system addresses three key challenges with one solution: it efficiently manages wastewater evacuation from buildings, and also handles grey and bilge water from boats. As the America’s Cup teams begin to utilize Flovac’s vacuum systems, the event marks a significant stride in adopting eco-sustainable sanitation technologies in maritime facilities.

New FLOVAC Project at the Port of Bilbao, Spain

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We are very happy to announce that we have commenced the design and supply of the vacuum sewage system of the Port of Bilbao. The port has taken a big step towards modernizing its sanitation system with the selection of Flovac for phase I of the sanitation project “Muelles Santurtzi y espigón central”. This innovative solution, which addresses the challenges of an area with 40 discharge points and a high-water table, offers an efficient and sustainable alternative without the need for deep trenches. In addition, the system will be equipped with monitoring that will allow the status of the vacuum network to be monitored and controlled effectively. This milestone adds to our revolution of vacuum sewer systems around the world.

In this project we faced a significant challenge in terms of sanitation due to the high concentration of discharge points and a high-water table in the Port of Bilbao. These conditions make the traditional sewerage system inefficient and expensive to implement. This is where Flovac vacuum sewer technology presents itself as a revolutionary solution.

Flovac’ s vacuum sewer system uses the difference in atmospheric pressure to transport waste efficiently and safely. Instead of relying on an underground pipe system, this system uses a smaller diameter pipe network, allowing space constraints to be overcome and the need for deep trenches to be minimized. With a single vacuum point, service can be provided to the entire area of the Port of Bilbao, even along the longest branch of more than 2.5 km.

Flovac Monitoring Systems

In addition, to guaranteeing optimum operation and efficient management of the system, Flovac has integrated its monitoring system. It is an advanced monitoring system that allows you to monitor the status of the vacuum network in real time. With this tool, port authorities will be able to detect any anomaly or blockage, ensuring proactive maintenance and a prompt response to any incident.

Therefore, the choice of Flovac as a supplier for the Bilbao Port sanitation project was based on our experience and proven excellence. The Basque Water Agency and the Bilbao-Vizcaya Water Consortium visited the largest vacuum sanitation facility in Europe, located in Santa Pola. This project has been operational since 2006, to obtain precise and valuable information on the implications both during the construction phase and in long-term maintenance. After this visit, they approved that the vacuum technology chosen was that of Flovacs.

In conclusion, the updated sanitation project for the Port of Bilbao marks an important milestone in the application of vacuum sewerage technologies in Spain. Flovac, as a leader in the sector, has been selected to implement its innovative system in the area of the Santurtzi Docks and central breakwater. We are sure that we will bring an innovative and long-lasting solution while bringing our efficient and sustainable approach to the vacuum sewerage system.

Gran Marina del Estrecho, a new marina for megayachts

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A New First Class Marina

At the mouth of the Straits of Gibraltar, Gran Marina del Estrecho is set to become one of Europes leading marinas. It will have  first-class facilities, in the Mediterranean and an exceptional base for superyachts up to 200 meters in length. Its location is in Algeciras, in the south of Spain and will be a reference site in the Strait of Gibraltar.

With an investment of 50 million euros, the construction of the ‘Gran Marina del Estrecho’ is already a reality, and is expected to be operational in 2023. The new marina will have 80 moorings of between 30 and 100 meters in length and 2 moorings for cruise ships, distributed in two different docks. All kinds of services will be provided, from the assignment of moorings to the management of repairs in dry docks.

It will be equipped with an esplanade with unique buildings for nautical and commercial services, with more than 11,100 m2 built. It will have everything necessary for shipowners, captains and crew members to safely enjoy all kinds of luxuries. With 30,000 m2 of commercial space dedicated exclusively to leisure, the hospitality sector will have a major impact. The jewel in the crown will be the Yachting Club building and the shopping area, where, in addition to the best nautical equipment, we will find elite fashion and beauty brands.

‘Gran Marina del Estrecho’ and Flovac

Flovac has designed a vacuum sewerage system that will serve all buildings and  ships in the marina precinct.

Thanks to the vacuum sewer technology that Flovac designs in marinas, a single vacuum station and a network of pipes installed at shallow depths allows the wastewater to be transported from each discharge point of the buildings and from each suction point of the boats to the municipal wastewater network, located outside the concession. Not only does it facilitate the movement and disposal of such water, but it also reduces the cost of transport vehicles.

The megayachts will be able to empty their sewage tanks at their own mooring into the sewage network, without the need for vacuum trucks. They will simply connect to the intakes provided in the turrets.

Bilge and Hydrocarbon Water Management

A second network of pipes will allow the transport of bilge water so as not to mix them. Water with traces of hydrocarbons that may be produced in the vicinity of the gas station will also be transported within this network. A second tank located at the vacuum station will receive these waters that require treatment. In the vacuum station itself, the hydrocarbons are separated before being discharged into the municipal sewer. The process carried out by Flovac will facilitate the municipality’s work and help protect the ecosystem with a safe and clean production chain to avoid all types of impurities in the sea.

The vacuum sewage system will allow the Gran Marina del Estrecho to meet the highest standards of environmental protection. Indeed, thanks to the vacuum, even if there is a crack in the pipe, there will be no discharge of sewage or bilge water and will avoid any pollution. In any case, any air ingress into the system will be detected by the vacuum station and repaired as quickly as possible. The processes established here are becoming the standard for all large marina projects.

For more information about other flovac marina projects read here

Club de Mar Mallorca. The largest Superyacht dock in the Mediterranean

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Flovac’s vacuum sanitation system is going to be included in the remodelling taking place at the marina Club de Mar Mallorca, which will include the fitting out of a new superyacht pier. The pier will be able to accommodate four yachts between 170 and 136 meters and up to 24 beam lengths. Therefore, the marina will commemorate its 50th anniversary with an innovative, reliable and green sanitation solution.

Flovac will supply and install all of the vacuum sewerage equipment. This will be used for both the vessels at berth and for the buildings in the marina as well. Flovac was chosen for this major project due to their detailed experience with major marinas around the world. Flovac valves and equipment is built under European standards and ISO codes.

Vacuum sanitation is preferred for marinas because all pipework can reach the collection pits with shallow trenches and will not leak.  For luxury marinas, Flovac designed a AISI316 stainless steel bollard. Flovac bollards have accessories to connect hoses that suck wastewater from vessels. For the superyachts that have discharge pumps, Flovac will supply connection points with diverse dimensions to adapt to the pier. Bollards with a hose connection under vacuum pressure is for yachts without discharge pumps.

The vacuum system has sensors that notifies the marina manager of the vacuum valve condition as well as the pump and tank status. We also provide software to calculate the flow from the megayachts.

If you would like more information about Flovacs other marina projects please Click here

Gold Coast Marina Vacuum Pump Station Upgrade – A Challenge

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The Gold Coast Marine Precinct is a dedicated industrial zone in Coomera, on the Gold Coast of Queensland Australia. The precinct supports marine manufacturing, servicing, repairs and refits of recreational boats. It is one of the most advanced and respected marine industry cluster developments in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the only purpose built marine precinct in Australia. Covering 250 hectares, it it is home to some of Australias most prestigious motor yacht builders and industry leaders.

It includes Riviera Australia a winner of Australian Maritime Industry Exporter of the year on multiple occasions.

Maritomo  Handcrafted Luxury Offshore Motor Yachts

The Boat Works – a boatyard, marina and superyacht facility

The Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard   has over 90 expert businesses looking after a wide range of clients. They have won numerous awards for their facilities.

 

Related: Barcelona Port vacuum Sewerage System

The Challenge

All of the wastewater within the facility is collected via a vacuum sewerage system. Over the years the facility has grown and the requirements of what a sewerage needs to do has changed. How to handle the larger superyachts for example. How to reduce energy costs. And how to ensure that all equipment was the latest technology and would reduce any risks of sewage entering the waterways.

The hardest part of the challenge was to fit new vacuum pump station equipment into a very tight existing space. The upgrade needed to take place with minimal disruption to any of the businesses in the precinct.

Related: Sydney Superyacht Marina Upgrade

As the Vacuum Pump Station is located outside of the precinct’s grounds it is operated and maintained by Gold Coast Council.

Power Saving and Efficiency

The goal set by Council was to reduce the vacuum pump cycle time from around 6 minutes to less than 3 minutes. This would give a 50{f2ac4d1e1d40dc2e2d9280a1dfa90d854b2d8c80eba743affa37fc4ce2e16def} reduction in power usage throughout the day.

There was also a request to increase the discharged flow from the system by 15{f2ac4d1e1d40dc2e2d9280a1dfa90d854b2d8c80eba743affa37fc4ce2e16def} by using exactly the same specified discharge pumps that were currently installed. We managed to increase their flow from 18 L/S to 21 L/S.

Flovac’s engineers worked on the problem creating 3D modeling of the station to ensure that the equipment would fit the space. Then the operations group went over the plans to make sure that the operability of the system would not be compromised.

In the months after commissioning there has been a clear improvement and lowering of energy costs. Vacuum pump run times have decreased from 17 hours per day and are now running for only 6.7 hours per day. They previously had been running 3 x 500 m3/hr pumps most of the day with huge energy costs.

More information on Flovac’s Marina and Port Projects

EPA demands that vacuum technology to be used at Eco Resort

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The Couran Cove Eco Resort in Queensland Australia is an award winning environmental success story for Flovac and for our client.

Designing to best environmental practices which included refunds to staying guests if they used less than average electricity and water during their stay.  A vacuum collection system was a natural choice, chosen for its ease of installation and environmental credentials.

2,000 visitors plus staff with a swimming pool, function center, laundry facility, restaurant and marina.

The system at a glance

  • 1 Vacuum Pump Station
  • 2,000 Guests plus Staff
  • Villa’s, apartments and cabins along with a conference facility, restaurants, sporting areas, offices and marina pump out facility
  • 215 Collection Pits
  • Fibre Optic Monitoring System

System Benefits

The developer showed a strong preference for a vacuum sewerage system as he saw it offering significant benefits in this development over each of the alternatives. These benefits were identified as:-

  • Ability to handle low flush toilets thus reducing the ultimate treated water disposal problem
  • Minimal impact on the landscape during construction with shallow trenches
  • Maximum water recovery for reuse in the re-vegetation irrigation system
  • Construction route flexibility thus minimizing the damage to vegetation
  • Ability to transport grey and black water in the one small bore pipe
  • Ability to safely lay all services in the one trench with minimal spacing
  • Zero infiltration and exfiltration
  • Ability of the system to service the entire site with one centralized pump station
  • Ability of the scheme to service the Boardwalk accommodation and even the boat sullage

Couran Cove Web Page

If you would like more information about this project or would like a free concept and budget for your next project please contact Flovac Engineering by clicking here

Vacuum Valve and Collection Sumps were located under the walkways in stainless steel vessels.

 

 

Award winning project for Flovac as a Commerce by Design award in the annual Gold Coast Urban Design Awards

 

Able to handle seasonal flows from different areas within the resort. The remote beach restaurant is 3 km from the main resort

 

Flovac Protecting the Environment in Barcelona

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Flovac was in charge of the design and installation of a Flovac vacuum sewerage system at the MB92 Port of Barcelona expansion project to collect wastewater and ensure that no environmental damage could occur in the area.

MB92 expands its installations at Barcelona’s port

Marina Barcelona 92 (MB92), a company dedicated to the maintenance and repair of superyachts, was in charge of carrying out the ambitious project to expand the port coastline of Barcelona, in the Port Vell area. The project, started in 2015 and completed in 2019, consisted of the construction of a large surface area in which a new boat lifting system (known as shiplift) would be located, with the aim of grounding yachts of up to 4,000 tons for repair and maintenance. Currently, it is the largest shiplift in the world dedicated exclusively to yachts.

The Project

The project, which involved a total investment of 50 million euros, was completed in August 2019 after 4 years of work. Thanks to the shiplift, customers have more ability than ever to work out of the water, which offers more flexibility, capacity and opportunities when it comes to maintaining and repairing yachts. Since its launch, the shiplift has already carried 22 superyachts with an average of over 75m LOA. It is a feat of world-class civil engineering in the heart of the port of Barcelona.

Raising Capacity

  • Capacity to lift vessels up to 115m LOA.
  • 30,000m2 hard standing area to host up to 9 vessels of up to 115m LOA on dry land
  • Hard standing area includes integrated keel pit with dimensions of 8m depth, 5m width and 14.5m length.
  • Bidirectional rail system to facilitate flexible and more efficient maneuverability of vessels once hauled out.
  • Supply of all essential services such as fresh water and shore power connections.

Flovac Looking after the Environment

Flovac was commissioned to install a vacuum sewerage system in this project in order to collect the wastewater generated by MB92’s activity. The goal of Flovac and the products it offers is to reduce the human footprint. Therefore, one of the main priorities was to guarantee the environmental protection of the area. The installation is made up of 2 independent vacuum networks; one for the wastewater from buildings and yachts, and the other one for industrial wastewater produced from yacht repair. The industrial wastewater is transported to a new treatment plant, at MB92’s own facilities. The facility has 4 tanks with 2 vacuum valves each. Flovac has finished the commissioning this July.

To find out more about Flovac’s port and marina projects you can click here

Sydney Superyacht Marina gets a Flovac Makeover

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Clemens Overdijk – Marina Manager at the Sydney Superyacht Marina

Sydney Superyacht Marina Sewage Pump Out System Upgrade

This standout marina was first built in the late nineties to accommodate visitors to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Since that time, not only have the yachts gotten bigger but the requirements of many of the yacht owners have reached the point where a number of upgrades to facilities are required. Clemens Overdijk, the Marina Manager since 2016 has been very interested in ensuring that their customers get the best experience possible.

One aspect that is very important to many yacht owners is the ability to quickly and cleanly discharge any wastewater from their vessels. No one wants leaks or the risk of overflows, or odours and importantly no one wants to spend hours tied up discharging wastewater. Or even worse needing to go to a different marina to discharge. There are many smaller marinas now unable to handle the size of the tanks, or the depth of the yachts, causing them to go elsewhere, at quite a cost. An important bonus for the yacht owners is that each berth offers a direct connection to the vacuum system.

Clemens looked at a variety of solutions from around the world and found that Flovac, a local company, was doing large scale marina sewage systems at a number of large marinas around the world and catering to the largest of yachts. These included projects in Barcelona, Spain, Italy and Greece, home of the superyachts.

Remote Activation of Pumps

One aspect of the work that Flovac had been doing around the world  was in the technology space. Flovac has pioneered the use of IOT (Internet of Things) technologies to enable remote

New Pump Station Upgrade and touch screen application

troubleshooting of the system as well as remote operation of the system. Many existing pump out systems require the yacht manager to locate the pump station, turn it on manually (if it is working), go back to their yacht to start the operation which may take many hours to complete. If someone else is using it, or if there is a problem, it may well affect the ability of the yacht to get back into action in a timely manner. Flovac has developed an app for the phone, which the yacht owner can log into from the comfort of his or her yacht. At a glance they can see if the facility is available. Couple the yacht to the access port, push start on the phone and discharge the wastewater.

System Success

The very first yacht that tried out the new system was a new 65m superyacht, one of the larger yachts at the marina. They had experienced a lot of difficulty with the old system, often having to go to a different marina altogether as the system could not handle receiving pumped flows. With the new system, the 6,000 litre discharge took less than an hour and a “smooth operation”for all involved. Telling our operator and other boat owners that this was the best system that they had come across in Australia.

The “significant investment” that required securing the best system has now become part of the key features of the marina that gives captains the confidence that SSM can meet their requirements.

Sydney Superyacht Marina

If you would like more information about the work Flovac has done at Marinas and Ports please Read Here

For an overview of the Sydney Superyacht Marina you can view that here

Contact here for a concept design or budget for your Marina

First Flovac Project in Vietnam – The Ana Marina in Nha Trang

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The Riviera of the South China Sea

Vietnam’s first marina is nearing completion, and will include Flovac’s first vacuum system in the country. Upon completion it will contain berths for over two hundred yachts and Super-yachts. Ana Marina in Nha Trang on the south east coast of Vietnam will be the country’s first world class marina, initially offering 60 berths for vessels of 20-40m and extra wide berths for catamarans. 

Future phases will include a super yacht dock for six yachts up to 70m in length and an additional 100m berth is under consideration. The remaining berths, to bring the overall total to 220, will accommodate yachts of 10 to 20m and will be operational by 2021.

General Manager of the project, Ruurd Van Putten, gave us his insight. “It’s a unique project in Vietnam that will ignite a whole new industry. Yachting is generally known for its high standard, quality and innovation. Marinas have proven to be a catalyst for economic growth, development of tourism and overall improvement of leisure services and facilities.

With environmental concerns a high priority in coastal developments, Ana Marina is heavily focused on the key concepts of Sustainability, Durability and Responsibility. “A marina means less pollution, cleaner water, and protection to vulnerable marine life. It will have special systems to prevent spillage of oil, fuel and waste of boats.

This will result in better water quality allowing plants, coral and fish to grow un-threatened, and also a safe and clean area to swim and play. We are dedicated to raising awareness that the sea is the beating heart and lifeline of Nha Trang, and must be preserved and protected at all costs”, Ruurd concluded.

A Flovac Vacuum Marina system was chosen as it has been demonstrated that it can provide certainty around the environmental benefits that the client has determined to be of absolute importance. Flovac marina systems have been installed in a number of high profile areas including in Barcelona, Greece, Italy and the Caribbean.

The Flovac systems look after boats of all sizes and can include the handling of bilge water and oil separation.  The larger Superyachts pump their wastewater or bilgewater into a Flovac collection chamber which can be sized and designed to fit into the marina area.

For smaller boats a pillar that often houses water and power will have a connection point for a hose that will suck the wastewater from the boats. This is often done by the marina operator or can also be via a key card or code-pad operation by the boat owner. Flovac has initially supplied 9 pillars to the project and all are connected to a single vacuum pump station. All of the pillars will be located on floating pontoons.

The main benefits of the Flovac vacuum sewerage system is that it will not leak into the water and is very easy to install. All points of the system are fully monitored from the central command center as so easily managed. To see more details of our marina systems please go to this page.