Wärtsilä Water & Waste Achieves 98.2% Compliance in Alaskan Cruise Wastewater Testing

Wärtsilä Water & Waste, part of Wärtsilä, continues to deliver wastewater treatment performance in one of the world’s most closely monitored marine environments through their Hamworthy membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems, according to independent regulatory data from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

During the 2024 Alaska cruise season, fourteen vessels equipped with Wartsila's Hamworthy MBR systems achieved a 98.2% compliance rate under DEC’s public testing program. This performance surpassed the overall fleet average of 94.7% and other manufacturers’ systems, which averaged a 90.8% compliance rate.

Each year, Alaska’s DEC requires all large cruise ships operating in its waters to collect treated wastewater samples for laboratory analysis, with every result published vessel-by-vessel. The data represents one of the most rigorous and transparent performance programs in maritime environmental regulation.

Wärtsilä’s Hamworthy MBR technology combines biological treatment and membrane filtration to achieve stable, high-quality effluent without chemical disinfectants. Continuous monitoring of process parameters and a digital feedback loop with Wärtsilä’s technical support teams ensure performance remains consistent across different ships, crews, and itineraries.