Egcs News

European technology giant Wärtsilä will be supplying hybrid scrubber system packages for Norwegian Cruise Line's (NCL) Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway.According to a press note from Wärtsilä, the scrubber systems have been ‘specially customized to meet the specific needs’ of the two cruise ships – which included adapting ‘to meet the ships’ restricted space availability’.The scrubber systems will enable the 325 meters long cruise vessels to be in compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) sulfur restriction legislation while operating on heavy fuel oil (HFO). The legislation became effective in January 2020.

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding announced that its DIA-SOx R, , the marine SOx scrubbers, installed on two ultra large containerships recently gained approvals from the the flag states.The first 2 units of the scrubber retrofitted onboard ultra-large container ships got approvals from the classification societies, Lloyd's Register and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, respectively after confirmation of the excellent result of sea trials and consequently also got approvals from the Flag States, Panama and Singapore.Those 2 ships, whilst continuously using the existing heavy fuel oil, can conform the new SOx emission regulation requirement even after being strengthened as from January 1…

The international provider of marine drybulk transportation services Safe Bulkers has entered into a service agreement  with Alfa Laval for 20 scrubber units on its vessels to meet the requirements of IMO 2020.According to the shipowner, the agreement is to minimize down time, enhance regulatory compliance and safeguard scrubber performance over the life-time of the vessel.The agreement provides for a flat yearly fee, lifecycle-oriented services from the Alfa Laval PureSOx 360° Service Portfolio, including remote monitoring of scrubber performance through connectivity module, service kits, minimum inventory of genuine Alfa Laval spares parts on board and ashore for remote trouble-shooting and sensor calibration by exchange.In addition…

Those shipowners looking to install marine exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) as way of meeting global sulfur cap requirements are advised to ensure that manufacturers, shipyards and installers are using quality, high-end materials.Based on the collective experience gained from more than 1500 EGCS installations, Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) 2020 members found the quality of materials and coatings used is the most important factor in optimizing EGCS safety and averting any corrosion problems during operation.“There are always some challenges involved when specifying ships’ machinery systems and scrubbers are no different,” said Arne Hubregtse, Executive Board Member, Spliethoff.

Members of the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 expressed disappointment in regard to Malaysia’s recently-announced decision to prohibit the use of open-loop scrubbers in its coastal waters. The Malaysia Shipping Notice states that ships calling to Malaysian Ports are advised to change over to compliant fuel oil or change over to closed-loop/hybrid systems before entering Malaysian waters and ports.“We are disappointed in this announcement,” said CSA 2020 Chairman Capt. Mike Kaczmarek. “The decision will impact not only our member shipping companies, but over 200 other international shipping companies that have announced their intent to install scrubbers as an accepted means of compliance under MARPOL Annex VI.“We will of course comply with these national rules…

TORM, a pure play product tanker company and one of the world's leading carriers of refined oil products, expects to install a total of 44 scrubbers and has since the last quarter committed to an additional ten scrubber installations.The new installations support our balanced approach to the new sulfur regulation, with scrubbers.The recently decided additional scrubber installations will be conducted during the first and the second quarter of 2020.As of 12 November 2019, TORM has conducted 16 scrubber installations. Of the remaining 28 installations, seven are expected to be conducted in 2019, 12 in the first quarter of 2020 and nine in the second quarter of 2020.As seen across the entire industry…

The international organization to promote Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) 2020 has congratulated Danish ferry operator DFDS A/S for ten years of successful scrubber operation, with EGCS onboard the 37,939gt roro Ficaria Seaways achieving more than 50, 000 running hours since 2009.Ficaria Seaways, one of the first ro-ro vessels to be fitted with an Alfa Laval PureSOx system, operates inside the stringent European Sulfur Emission Control Area (SECA), on the Gothenburg – Immingham route.“The installation has prevented a substantial amount of sulfur emissions from entering the atmosphere,” said Poul Woodall…

Capital Product Partners (CPLP), a Greek shipping company engaged in the seaborne transportation of a wide range of cargoes, including dry cargo and containerized goods, said that it is planning to install exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubber) in six more vessels.Jerry Kalogiratos, Chief Executive Officer of our General Partner, said: “We are pleased to have concluded the first scrubber retrofit on the M/V Agamemnon and to see the vessel subsequently deliver under its new long-term charter until 2024. The scrubber retrofit combined with passing of the special survey of the vessel and the associated off hire, as well as certain additional…

Scrubber manufacturers and suppliers Clean Marine and FMSI have unveiled their intention to merge in order to create a bigger market share in the exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) segment.The combined entity, which will operate under the name Clean Marine, will provide a fully integrated offering, including Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) expertise, significant capacity, fast production times, project management and global after-sales services.Further announcements will be made when the agreement is finalized.The Merger will better position Clean Marine to fulfill the needs of its customers and meet the rising demand for EGCS following the implementation of the new limits on sulfur emissions that come into effect on January 1, 2020.

Florida-based tanker shipping company Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) has taken delivery of two 50,000 dwt class product and chemical tankers at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea.The tankers, named the Overseas Gulf Coast and Overseas Sun Coast, were built to comply with MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 13 Tier III standards regarding nitrogen oxide emissions within emission control areas.In addition, each vessel is fitted with an exhaust gas cleaning system, often referred to as a “scrubber”, to meet the standards of MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 standards regarding sulfur oxide emissions. Present for the christening at the shipyard in Ulsan…

Greek diversified owner and operator of ocean going cargo vessels DryShips announced that further to its plan to future proof its fleet, it has completed the dry-docking, installation of ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) and scrubbers on 7 vessels.DryShips has incurred approximately $26.1 million of total costs and 300 off-hire days future Proofing of the its fleet."Within 2020, we expect to continue to execute our plan to upgrade additional vessels and we expect to incur approximately 843 off-hire days for a total estimated cost of $65.8 million," said a release from the company."In connection with the installation of scrubbers on our vessels we have entered into agreements…

Finnish shipping company Langh Ship said that it takes environmental matters into account in their day-to-day operations, and efforts to improve the state of the world’s seas are important to all Langh companies."The environmental perspective has been at the core of the Langh companies’ operations for some time now, and the companies are a partner of the John Nurminen Foundation and a supporter of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects," said a press release from the owner of the fleet capable of operating in challenging Northern conditions.Langh Tech’s closed loop scrubbers were installed in Langh Ship’s five cargo vessels back in 2013 and 2014.

Hunter Tankers, a subsidiary of Norwegian investment company Hunter Group, has selected Tankers International Ltd as commercial manager for its fleet of very large crude carriers (VLCCs).According to Oslo-based company, Tankers International, a chemical tanker company, would establish “the world’s first scrubber-fitted VLCC pool.”In addition to the Hunter vessels the pool will consist of vessels from Hartree Maritime Partners Ltd., International Seaways Inc., Oak Maritime (HK) Inc., and Ridgebury Tankers.The Scrubber Pool will consist exclusively of modern scrubber-fitted VLCCs operated and maintained to the highest standards and will, combined with TI’s existing VLCC pools, represent the largest VLCC fleet in the world with more than 70 VLCCs on a fully delivered basis.

LiqTech International,  a clean technology company that manufactures and markets highly specialized filtration technologies, announced the receipt of the Company's largest single order to date for its proprietary ceramic silicon carbide water filtration systems for marine scrubber applications.The order was placed by one of the world's three largest shipping companies and follows the recent installation and system deployment by this same customer on the two largest container ships in the world. The new orders are expected to be delivered starting in late 2019, with completion in 2020.Sune Mathiesen, CEO of LiqTech International, said…

The marine transportation company Waterfront Shipping Company has added two new innovative, clean-burning vessels, M/T Mari Couva and M/T Mari Kokako, to its fleet.Both 49,000 dwt vessels are built with the second generation of MAN B&W ME-LGIM two stroke dual-fuel engines that can run on both methanol and conventional marine fuels, said the wholly owned subsidiary of Methanex Corporation.The vessels join the seven existing methanol-fueled vessels chartered by Waterfront Shipping that have received accolades from the marine industry for their use of methanol as an alternative fuel.These existing vessels have surpassed more than 50,000…

Genco Shipping & Trading said that a comprehensive IMO 2020 strategy underway and four of its capesize vessels have had scrubbers successfully installed to date, and it anticipate its remaining capesize vessels to be scrubber-equipped by the end of 2019."We continue to progress on the execution of our comprehensive plan of compliance with the upcoming IMO 2020 emissions standards that targets a significant reduction of emissions from vessels globally," said the U.S.-based provider of international seaborne drybulk transportation services."Our portfolio approach entails the installation of scrubbers on our 17 Capesize vessels and the consumption of ultra-low sulfur fuel for the balance of our fleet.

Safe Bulkers, the provider of marine drybulk transportation services, announced that the first scrubber was successfully installed and commissioned on MV Martine, a Japanese, Post-Panamax class vessel, built in 2009.The US-listed operator of drybulk vessels for transporting bulk cargoes said that the scrubber is open loop, U-Type, Alfa Laval PureSOx and during commissioning has been tested in several loads complying comfortably with the stricter 0.1% sulfur fuel content limit applicable in Environmentally Controlled Areas (ECA).The installation of scrubber was done concurrently with ballast water treatment system during the scheduled dry-docking of the vessel…

Finland-based Langh Tech designs, the provider of scrubbers for SOx removal from exhaust gases and water treatment units for closed loop scrubbers, has successfully delivered a scrubber system to the Chios Navigation 50.000 dwt Medium Range product Tanker, a new-building from Hyundai Mipo Shipyard.Chios Navigation, a Greek ship-owning company owning nine bulk carrier and three medium range product tanker vessels, has selected during early 2018 Langh Tech Open Loop-Hybrid ready scrubbers for their New-building project in Hyundai Mipo.The system consists of a U-type multi-inlet 5 flue gas sources Open Loop hybrid ready configuration to serve a Main Engine of 7180 kW MCR power…

Bermuda-based international tanker company Nordic American Tankers Limited (NAT) has reiterated that it believes scrubbers are not a solution for the company based upon a conservative financial policy."NAT does not take on risk it does not have to," it said.An increased number of ports now prohibit or impose strict requirements on the use of scrubbers, which purify emissions from large ships.The scrubber cleans the exhaust from vessels for Sulfur and emit impure water into the sea, and that is what the ports now will put an end to. Therefore, we still do not see that this new requirement is an issue for NAT.Nordic American Tankers points to a Reuters article of July 04 on the potential ban by Norwegian authorities of scrubbers.NAT recalled its statement on  October 24…

The Piraeus-based shipping company Okeanis Eco Tankers Corp announced that it has secured commitment to a $11 million secured loan facility for its scrubber retrofit project from BNP Paribas.The tankers company, owned by the Alafouzos family, said in a press release that the facility carries an interest rate over Libor of 2.00%, a 5-year tenor, and a 4-year repayment profile beginning one year after drawdown.The  funds are available immediately, and the company expects to draw on it shortly to partly finance the capital expenditure required to retrofit scrubbers on six of its vessels (two Aframax/LR2s and four Suezmaxes).In May 2019…

Denmark-based shipping companies prefer to install exhaust gas purification systems, the so-called scrubbers, on their ships."The scrubbers clean the exhaust smoke from the engines and thereby remove Sulphur and other particles which enable the ships to meet new international requirements," says Danish Shipping, which represents the danish shipping industry.With its 183.2-meter long hull, Torm Laura takes up a lot of space at the FAYARD yard on Funen, Denmark. Every day, the ship transports everything from oil to chemicals on the seven oceans, but for the last two weeks the ship has been docking at a shipyard in Munkebo to have a scrubber…

The shipping transportation solutions provider Neptune Lines is making an important investment in scrubbers with 10 units installed until Q1 2020.Denmark-based ME Production (MEP), a player in marine technologies solutions for marine equipment and energy markets, was selected to supply the units while the first two installations were successfully completed in Odessos shipyard in Varna and commissioned shortly after.By fitting these MEP systems, the ships will be compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s SOx regulations, which is coming into force in 2020 and represent the most far reaching, fundamental change in worldwide…

London-based international law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has advised Credit Agricole Asia Shipfinance Limited as facility agent on a US$91m term loan facility to a subsidiary of investment firm Sole Shipping Group (advised by Nordisk Legal Services) for the financing of two VLCCs (and scrubbers).According to WFW, the ships will be bareboat chartered to Hong Kong-based Landbridge group, with the leases arranged by Pareto Securities.The lenders were Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank and BNP Paribas, it said.The WFW Hong Kong Maritime team advising on the transaction was led by Partner and Office Head Madeline Leong…