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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

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

Marina Vela Vacuum Sewer System, Barcelona.

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Marina Vela, the newest upscale Marina in the heart of Barcelona has opened for business. The new Marina which utilizes the latest in Flovac vacuum sewer technology has 136 marina berths which can cater for boats up to 50 meters in length.

Barcelona’s new Hotel W will be attached to the marina along with a number of restaurants, bars and shops. The marina is very central to city centre and the beach.

Flovac has installed a number of systems in marina’s In Barcelona including Port Vela, as well as in a number of other countries worldwide include Flisvos Marina in Greece, Marina di Pisa in Italy  and Marina Hindmarsh in Australia. The latest marina project outside Barcelona will be in Canouan in the Caribbean and will be profiled in an upcoming newsletter.

Marina Vela  has the latest in monitoring systems which allows the operator to be aware of any potential overflows, breakdowns or misuse by the boats crew. Not only is sewage taken care of but also any bilge water is taken off the boat and can be separated and reused. Details in Spanish can be found on our Flovac Spain website 

Marina Port Vell Barcelona installs Flovac System

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On April 27 2015, Flovac commissioned the vacuum system at the Marina Port Vell in Barcelona. Known as one of the finest new marinas for Super yachts in Europe, the owners saw the use of the Flovac system as essential.

The system designed and installed by FLOVAC includes the discharges from buildings in the Marina such as the restaurants, offices, locker rooms, gym, etc … and residences on the boats moored in the Marina.

Wastewater and Bilge Water

The vacuum system has two vacuum networks, one for wastewater generated in the Marina (waste water) and a parallel network where bilge water, which requires pre-treatment to collect the sewage discharged in port .The network of pipes, placed around

the perimeter of the marina, carrying the waste water has vacuum generated by a single vacuum station located in the Marina. It is the single point of electricity needed for the whole system. FLOVAC vacuum valves, which are located in different collection pits are pneumatically operated with this setup, FLOVAC has already installed four vacuum sewerage works in the area of the Port of Barcelona.

No Leaks from the Sewer System can occur

The vacuum system ensures the impossibility of discharges into the sea , is the most economical solution in terms of execution of work, since by its very nature design , the network of pipes need not be buried deep underground and no intermediate pumping.

Moreover, in this case, the system is equipped with a remote control system that allows the owner to know exactly everything that happens anywhere in the sewer.

User Pay for Sewage Discharge

Flovac also designed software to control the discharge of sewage from yachts to the Marina and can accurately invoice by litres of discharge to the sewer. As a result, Marina Port Vell prevents sewage dumped at sea and in return gives them a MARPOL certificate.

MARPOL 73/78 is an international convention for the prevention of pollution at sea. The convention includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimising pollution at sea from ships, and this includes both, accidental pollution and pollution from routine operations.

Santa Pola resolves odours and overflows with a Flovac system

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The Flovac vacuum system is one of the most innovative and longest in Spain – The vacuum system installation, executed over the past 8 years have allowed prevention of salinity problems in the town. With this system, the City of Santa Pola collected wastewater generated for 12,900 homes for later use mainly on irrigation

Vacuum Pump Station

Vacuum Pump Station

Spains largest vacuum system is near completion. It is a technological solution to solve the problems the utility in Santa Pola were suffering as it was built on a cattle farm located on salt marshes , which has a subsoil of sand.

This caused problems of infiltration and unstable ground conditions. Seawater infiltration resulted in increased salinity of the water, which greatly impaired the biological process of purification of the wastewater.

To solve this problem the city has installed a Flovac vacuum sewerage system. Flovac installed pipes up to 315 mm diameter, inside which is a constant vacuum of -0.5 and -0.6 atmosphere is maintained by vacuum pumps.

Vacuum valves are opened by the difference in air pressure automatically and take in  the wastewater from pits. No electricity at the pips is required. The pressure differential allows sewage to flow into the vacuum station and then it is pumped to the Treatment Plant.

There were a number of benefits to the community and to the operators with reduced construction costs and impact on businesses and residents. Operators, who use the monitoring system, note reduced blockages and odours and time at site.

The monitoring system allows operators to know exactly when they are needed and where to go.

A number of other towns with similar problems and now talking to Flovac.