Clean Marine’s EGCS First to Operate Inside ECA

MV Balder, equipped with Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) from Clean Marine, is reported to be the first vessel in the world to operate this type of system in the U.S. Emission Control Area (ECA).

Upon arrival in Baltimore last week, the vessel’s Master sought approval from the coast guard to enter and exit the ECA Zone using High Sulphur Fuel Oil with EGCS, rather than burning the more expensive Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (1% Sulphur content).

Clean Marine invited USCG and EPA to observe the EGCS in operation for compliance with the ECA. Officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, led by Lieutenant Commander Edgardo Cruz (Chief Inspection Division, Sector Baltimore), conducted a Port State Control exam on August 29 in Baltimore and confirmed that the Clean Marine EGCS installed onboard was operating satisfactory and found to be in full compliance with MARPOL Annex VI as an equivalency to utilizing low sulfur fuel oil as per the IAPP Certificate.

Clean Marine CEO, Nils Høy-Petersen stated, “Meeting the U.S. Coast Guard’s stringent requirements proves that our unique and competitive multi-stream EGCS solution is a sound technology that enables vessels of all types to transit through a U.S. ECA.”

The Clean Marine EGCS on board the handymax bulk carrier bulk carrier is an integrated, multi-stream system which cleans the exhaust from one main engine, three auxiliary engines and one boiler. The system is also a hybrid type which can operate in both open and closed loop.

The EGCS is fully certified by DNV and has been proven to reduce sulphur content to below 0.1%. This means that Balder, owned by Torvald Klaveness, already complies with the much stricter 2015 emission regulation when operating in Europe and North America.

Clean Marine said it is also the first company to approach the USCG and the United States Environmental Protection Agency for inspection and approval, strengthening the company’s standing as a pioneer within emission cleaning.

cleanmarine.no