Bahri expects first floating desalination barge to start commercial operations in H2 2024

A Bahri vessel

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) expects the initial and commercial operation of the first floating desalination barge, located on the western coast of Saudi Arabia near Al Shuqaiq Port, to start in the second half of 2024.

The testing and operation of the floating barges are currently underway, Bahri said in a statement to Tadawul.

The delay was due to environmental clearances for new infrastructure construction in Yanbu taking longer than expected because of changes in government regulatory bodies, the statement added.

There is no significant financial impact resulting from this delay, and any further developments related to the project will be announced at a later date, the statement added.

In January 2022, Bahri announced the start of the trial commissioning of the barge. The project was slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to data available on Argaam.

However, it postponed the start of initial operations to the second quarter of 2023 and the commercial operation to the second half of 2023, as announced last March.

In December 2019, Bahri signed a SAR 760 million agreement with the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) to transfer desalinated water from mobile water floating stations to desalination tanks. The 20-year project was expected to commence operation in Q1 2021.