Ottawa – After nearly ten years of research and engineering work with Montréal-based clean-tech company, Terragon Environmental Technologies, the Canadian Coast Guard has introduced the first Sewage Wastewater Electrochemical Treatment Technology System (WETT-S™) now in operation on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Earl Grey. This is the first-ever WETT-S™ being commissioned on a Canadian Coast Guard ship and in the world.

As opposed to traditional wastewater systems, the new sewage wastewater electrochemical treatment system does not rely on disposable filters. This Canadian-made cutting-edge clean technology eliminates about 75 per cent more of the suspended solids, removing significant amounts of heavy metals and other harmful particles present in the wastewater that can pollute our oceans and waterways. The small amounts of remaining waste are held in special tanks on board the ship and then disposed in environmentally responsible ways.

As part of its fleet renewal plan, the Canadian Coast Guard supports innovation and technological advancement by incorporating green technology into its vessels and by engaging with leading Canadian green industries partners to share best practices related to vessel design and engineering. This partnership with Terragon Environmental Technologies is an important milestone in the integration of clean and sustainable technologies in Canadian Coast Guard ships, making them safer for the environment.

“Doing everything we can to ensure we have cleaner coastlines is the right thing to do for our ecosystems, our communities and future generations. I am proud of this important step taken today to adopt a greener water treatment technology on the CCGS Earl Grey and look forward to a wider use of ground-breaking clean technologies on our Coast Guard vessels.” – The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“With this new wastewater treatment technology successfully installed and tested on the CCGS Earl Grey, the Canadian Coast Guard is taking concrete action on minimizing its fleet’s environmental impacts. We are very pleased with this initiative as we continue to align our fleet renewal and maintenance plans with the use of cleaner systems in our ships.” – Mario Pelletier, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard

“With consistent support from the Canadian Government, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Coast Guard, Terragon has developed world leading technologies for the on-site conversion of waste to resources, which enable a Zero Waste Ship. We greatly appreciate the Canadian Coast Guard’s initiative to install these technologies onboard their ships both to have greener operations and to accelerate the commercialization of Canadian clean-tech.”- Peter Tsantrizos, President and CEO of Terragon Environmental Technologies

Quick facts

  • The CCGS Earl Grey is a Medium Endurance Multi-Tasked Vessel based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The vessel supports light icebreaking operations in the winter and buoy tending off the Atlantic coast of Canada in the summer. The ship is equipped with a large crane on her low afterdeck intended to manipulate buoys. The vessel can also support search and rescue operations.
  • The installation of the Sewage Wastewater Electrochemical Treatment Technology System follows a previous installation of a Wastewater Electrochemical Treatment Technology for oily water WETT-O™ aboard the CCGS Earl Grey in 2019, and another one on the CCGS Terry Fox in 2022.
  • In October 2022, the Canadian Coast Guard announced the start of a biodiesel testing project and the launch of the next phase in the construction of the Government of Canada’s first hybrid electric vessel, the new Near-shore Fishery Research Vessel.
  • Canada’s Greening Strategy is a set of government-approved commitments that apply to all core government departments and agencies. Fleet management across the Government will be optimized to achieve the targets, including the commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050.

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