Imabari Installs SOx Scrubber onto Bulk Carrier
Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. announced it has become the first shipyard in Japan to successfully install a SOx scrubber onto bulk carrier.
The SOx scrubber, manufactured by Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., has been installed for a domestic ship owner aboard the 84,000M.T.D/W bulk carrier M/V Nadeshiko. The installation was completed on March 24, 2016.
This installation is the joint research support project together with Class NK called “Main Engine Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) installation on operating newbuilding vessel, and closed loop practicing test”. The Fuji Electric SOx Scrubber adopts cyclone system and it can be installed without changing the dimensions of superstructure thanks to its compact size.
Main engine EGCS is a system which reduces SOx in exhaust gas even if high sulfur content fuel is used. It is necessary to satisfy IMO EGCS guideline and to obtain attestation from concerned authorities. After its completion, the vessel will conduct data collection and verification on the system, maintenance and operation.
Sulfuric Oxides (SOx) emission control regulation by IMO which requires sulfur content upper limit to be 0.1 percent, has already been implemented since 2015 in the Emission Control Area (ECA). For outside ECA, the regulation will be tightened in 2020 or by 2025, and present upper limit of 3.5 percent will become 0.5 percent.