Flocean, WaterConnect Plan Maldives Desalination Study

Flocean and WaterConnect have signed a development agreement to jointly prepare and structure a subsea desalination project in the Maldives, to deliver water supply to Malé and Hulhumalé. The first stage will be a feasibility study with the Malé Water and Sewerage Company to assess the business model and technical solution. Flocean says its subsea seawater reverse osmosis system can reduce energy consumption by approximately 40% by using natural ocean pressure. The proposed project is intended to improve supply reliability and reduce the total cost of water for the two islands.

Feasibility Study With MWSC

The project is anchored in a memorandum of understanding between MWSC and Flocean. The study is intended to provide MWSC with data and analysis to evaluate the project and determine an optimal path forward. MWSC provides water and sewerage infrastructure and utility services across islands in the Maldives and serves more than 50% of the country’s population.

Alexander Fuglesag, Founder & CEO at Flocean, said:

“We are excited to partner with WaterConnect to develop a subsea desalination project tailored to the Maldives' needs. WaterConnect catalyses investments in resilient water projects and with their financial network and strong focus on sustainability, they are a great long-term partner for us when scaling our technology to support water security in land-constrained, water-stressed island environments.”

Subsea System Design

Flocean’s system places desalination infrastructure underwater, where natural ocean pressure is used in the reverse osmosis process. The company says the approach reduces energy use, limits the onshore footprint, and reduces brine discharge and related environmental effects. The project is designed to support households and businesses in Malé and Hulhumalé with reliable, high-quality and cost-competitive water.

John Moyer, President at WaterConnect, said:

“This partnership is about turning breakthrough technology into bankable, real-world infrastructure by bringing the right capabilities and financing together. Flocean's subsea desalination offers a compelling low-energy alternative and reduced environmental impacts, and WaterConnect is excited to co-develop projects like this toward investment readiness and enhanced water security.”

Investment Model for Island Water

The Maldives faces water supply constraints linked to limited freshwater availability, land limitations and sea level rise. Flocean and WaterConnect plan to combine the desalination system with early-stage project development and financing to prepare the project for investment. The partners also see potential for a replicable investment model for projects in similar geographies.