Design Status
AMT have designs and materials for VLFBs of sizes up to
120,000 cu.m capacity (100 Acre-feet (AF) or 454.2 million US gallons). See
visual impression. Designs for 240,000 cu.m are under development.
VLFBs or medusa bags are significantly less costly for
transportation of drinking water than new steel hulled tankers which are usually
the best alternative.
Since 1997 drinking water has been transported in 700 and 2000
cu.m capacity bags on a regular basis to Greek islands and at half the cost of
previous supplies by tanker (Aquarius 1997; The World's Water 1998-1999; Water
21 of February 2000).
From 1997 to early 2003 Nordic Water Supply delivered water to
North Cyprus in water bags of 10,000 and 20,000 cu.m capacity bags from southern
Turkey (FTGWR 1997c quoted in Gleick: The World's Water 1998-1999).
The demand for water elsewhere has now created a market for much
larger bags such as VLFBs of 100,000 and 250,000 cu.m capacity - equivalent to
the daily requirements of one and a quarter million western European people or
250 million one-litre bottles.
VLFBs can be towed singly or in pairs by ocean-going tugs at 3.5
to 9 knots depending on size, the tug, the prevailing sea state, and the needs
of the situation. Characteristics of the first generation of VLFBs
Characteristics of the first generation of VLFBs
