Engineered solutions for reliable marine water intake with biofouling control, debris screening, and corrosion protection for desalination, cooling, and industrial applications
CFD, P&ID, SCADA and commissioning for critical water treatment plants.
Plant layouts, piping isometrics and construction-ready engineering drawings.
Flow, mixing and thermal CFD across treatment and process equipment.
Full mechanical, physico-chemical, biological and sludge equipment range.
Engineering Excellence for Marine Environments
Seawater intake systems are critical infrastructure for coastal industrial facilities, desalination plants, and power stations. Our engineered solutions address the unique challenges of marine environments, including biofouling, corrosion, debris entrainment, and environmental protection, ensuring reliable water supply while minimising ecological impact.
Addressing Marine Environment Complexities
Marine organisms including barnacles, mussels, algae, and bacteria rapidly colonize submerged surfaces, forming biofilms that restrict flow, increase pressure drop, and accelerate corrosion. Unchecked biofouling can reduce intake capacity by 50% or more within months.
Seawater's high chloride content (19,000-21,000 mg/L), combined with dissolved oxygen and biological activity, creates highly corrosive conditions. Standard carbon steel can fail within months, while even 316 stainless steel experiences pitting and crevice corrosion in warm waters.
Coastal waters contain significant debris including seaweed, plastic waste, jellyfish blooms, and suspended sediment. Without effective screening, this material can clog pumps, damage heat exchangers, foul membranes in desalination plants, and cause unplanned shutdowns.
Seawater intakes can entrain fish larvae, eggs, and adult fish, while impingement on screens can injure or kill larger organisms. Regulatory bodies worldwide are imposing stricter requirements for intake design to protect marine ecosystems.
Seawater intakes must withstand harsh marine conditions including storm waves, tidal ranges up to 12 metres, currents exceeding 3 m/s, and ice formation in colder climates. Structural failure can result in catastrophic water supply interruption.
Seawater quality varies significantly with seasons, weather events, and location. Red tides, storm runoff, and seasonal temperature swings can challenge treatment systems and affect downstream processes including membrane performance and cooling efficiency.
Tailored Designs for Every Application
Direct offshore intakes with submerged intake heads for large flow applications.
Subsurface intake through beach geology providing natural filtration.
Subsurface collection systems beneath the seabed for passive filtration.
Intake structures integrated into existing marine infrastructure.
From Ocean to Process
Offshore headworks or beach well with velocity cap
Bar screens 50-100mm for large debris removal
Travelling screens or drum filters 3-10mm
Biofouling control with hypochlorite dosing
Self-cleaning filters or media filtration
To desalination, cooling, or industrial process
Engineering Parameters & Material Standards
| Parameter | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Design Flow Range | 100 - 500,000 m³/h | Custom designs available for any capacity |
| Intake Velocity | 0.1 - 0.5 m/s (through screen) | Lower velocities for fish protection |
| Screen Aperture | 1 - 100 mm | Multi-stage screening typical |
| Operating Depth | 3 - 50 metres | Dependent on intake type |
| Standard Materials | 316L Stainless Steel | For temperate waters |
| Premium Materials | Super Duplex 2507, 90/10 Cu-Ni | For tropical/aggressive environments |
| Structural Design Life | 25 - 50 years | With proper maintenance |
| Design Standards | API, ASME, EN 1993, DNV | Project-specific compliance |
| Chlorine Residual | 0.5 - 2.0 mg/L (continuous) | Or shock dosing 5-10 mg/L |
Engineering Excellence & Reliability
Our designs meet or exceed international environmental regulations including US EPA 316(b), EU Water Framework Directive, and local marine protection requirements.
Superior material selection and design optimisation minimise maintenance requirements and extend service life, reducing total cost of ownership.
Complete turnkey packages from intake structure through pre-treatment, with single-source responsibility for design, supply, and commissioning.
Proven designs deployed across diverse marine environments from tropical to arctic, shallow coastal to deep offshore installations.
Redundant configurations and robust design ensure >99% water supply availability, critical for continuous industrial processes.
Environmentally responsible solutions that protect marine ecosystems while meeting your water supply needs.
Complete Seawater Treatment Solutions
Self-cleaning filters and media filtration systems for seawater polishing before membrane processes or heat exchangers.
View Filtration SystemsTravelling water screens, drum screens, and bar screens for debris removal at seawater intakes.
Explore Wastewater ScreensSodium hypochlorite generation and dosing systems for effective biofouling control in seawater systems.
View Chemical Treatment ServicesComplete seawater desalination solutions including pre-treatment, RO systems, and post-treatment.
Desalination Plant SolutionsPre-aerating raw seawater oxidises iron / Mn, strips H₂S and reduces downstream chemical demand.
Contact our marine engineering team to discuss your coastal water supply requirements. We'll design a customised intake solution that ensures reliable operation while protecting the marine environment.
Our expertise spans multiple industries with sector-specific water treatment solutions.