The vision of the EcoBilge project is to protect marine and inland waters through improved bilge-water de-oiling on inboard-motor vessels under 400 GT, in order to preserve biodiversity, habitats, and the human food base.

EcoBilge

Improvement of bilge water de-oil for in small and medium-sized ships

Motivation

There is currently a lack of environmentally friendly, efficient, and affordable solutions for bilge-water de-oiling on vessels under 400 GT, meaning boats between 8 and 40 meters in length. This gap triggers a structural, multifactorial problem (“vicious cycle”) resulting in significant water pollution whose true extent remains scientifically unknown. The absence of suitable technical options leads to inadequate legal frameworks, enabling bilge dumping disguised with detergents. This reduces public awareness and prevents the generation of scientific evidence and technical solutions. As a result, societal mobilization does not occur, further inhibiting political action. This cycle urgently needs to be broken.

Approach

An existing prototype for gravity-based oily-water separation, proven functional in pilot studies in Brazil, will be rebuilt, tested under different parameters, and optimized where necessary. A technical review and feasibility studies will also be conducted.

Benefits

Conservative estimates indicate that widespread EcoBilge adoption could protect 2.3 trillion liters of water annually based solely on existing recreational vessels lacking separator access.