Page 60: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2020)

Tech Talk

Scrubber Installation

Scrubber Installation on the Rise

Over the 12 months leading up to the Industry analysis from Clarksons report phur oxides from the exhaust gases of

IMO 2020 implementation date, Paci? c that capesize vessels ? tted with scrub- ships’ engines and boilers, they also take

Green Technologies (PGT) saw demand bers are earning $8,000 more a day out up to 94% of the Particulate Matter, for scrubber installations steadily in- than those without, VLCCs with scrub- up to 60% of the Black Carbon, and a crease, particularly in December 2019. bers are saving $15,000 a day, while signi? cant amount of the Polycyclic

Last year, lots of vessels were ‘testing supertankers ? tted with scrubbers are Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

the market’ but now the enquiries are expected to enjoy savings of more than Last year, independent research orga- for bigger vessels, said Scott Poulter, $7,000,000 per annum. nization SINTEF declared that measur-

CEO, Paci? c Green Technologies. “Our PGT estimates that the fuel savings ing from well to wake, the energy re- installations last year were split 50/50 would offset a scrubber investment quired in the global production of LSFO between tankers and bulk carriers with within a year, and with the current bun- produces far more GHG than in the pro- a few container ships. Now we are ker price spread – that investment may duction of high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) seeing many more bulkers – panamax, be offset in just months. While the bun- and so scrubbers, which eliminate black capesize, handymax – and there are ker price spread may not continue at this carbon and particulate matter, offer more installations on order for VLCs, level, some analysts expect the price shipowners the best long-term solution suezmaxes, aframaxes and medium difference to persist for several years as against carbon-focused legislation.

range tankers.” He said the number of the industry adjusts. It’s not just the cost A 2019 report by Japan’s Ministry newbuild installations has increased too. savings which are compelling though. of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and “Looking ahead, we expect the market Supply is an issue, the HSFO supply Tourism (MLIT) described the opera- to be dominated by retro? ts for the next chain is well established, but there have tion of open loop scrubbers with high few years and then the balance will been delays for ship owners requiring sulfur fuel oil as not only safe, but ac- switch to focus more on newbuilds for LSFO. tually preferable to burning low sulfur at least another ? ve to 10 years.” fuel alone because scrubbers remove

The Environment far more of the particulate matter found

ROI Scrubbers have been accepted as an in ships’ exhaust fumes, than can be

Many shipowners left the decision approved method of compliance by the achieved by simply switching to low of whether to install a scrubber or not IMO, European Union and U.S. Envi- sulfur fuel. as late as possible. It represents a sig- ronmental Protection Agency, follow- Looking ahead, PGT believes that ni? cant investment but the price dif- ing considerable scienti? c analysis and scrubbers are only going to get more ef- ference and availability between high scrutiny. Designed to remove the pollut- fective at making air more breathable, sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) and low sulfur ants that contribute most to a wide range removing much ? ner matter and becom- fuel oil (LSFO) means that the cost of of serious health problems, scrubbers ing an effective long-term tool in the investment can be quickly recouped. don’t just remove the greater part of sul- ? ght against climate change.

But the scrubbing industry needs to do more to educate the public and politi- cians about the environmental bene? ts.

Many assume that scrubbers, particular- ly the open-loop ones are bad, because discharging sulphurous washwater into the sea sounds dangerous.

The world’s oceans already have a naturally high sulphur content, which means the additional sulphur from scrubbing washwater represents a tiny fraction of change. Apart from a small

Nantong Scrubber

Photo: Paci? c Green Technologies

Production Line.

60 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • February 2020

MR #2 (50-65).indd 60 2/7/2020 10:12:26 AM