Open Loop Scrubber Systems News

In recent years, Greek shipowner Safe Bulkers has retrofitted Alfa Laval PureSOx exhaust gas cleaning systems on 20 of its bulk carriers. The company has just installed its 21st PureSOx scrubber, and four more retrofits are scheduled through the first half of 2023.Safe Bulkers is expanding the retrofit program for exhaust gas cleaning within its fleet. Having now retrofitted an open-loop PureSOx system on the MV Pelopidas, the company will retrofit equivalent systems on four Capesize bulk carriers: MV Aghia Sofia, MV Lake Despina, MV Maria and MV Michalis H.

OSM Maritime has secured a contract for the full technical management of Hunter Group’s fleet of ECO design SMART VLCCs, currently under construction at DSME in Korea. Hunter Group has eight identical 336m vessels, set to be delivered towards the end of 2019 and into 2020. The Hunter vessels will be managed from OSM’s base in Arendal, Norway, which offers an established strength in specialist tanker services.“This is the beginning of a strong strategic alliance between two Norwegian headquartered companies with clear global ambitions,” comments Hunter Group CEO Erik A. S. Frydendal.

Are shipowners prepared to enter SECA zones? Due to existing regulations on air exhaust emissions from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and with the European Union working towards an alignment with IMO MARPOL Annex VI, the marine industry will need to choose a path on how to achieve compliance, a choice that will have tremendous impact on shipping. Legislation has already had an effect on the fuel markets in regulated areas, as fuel prices are expected to increase even further in 2015 when the 0.1% fuel sulfur limit enters into force.

With new, more stringent sulphur oxide (SOx) emission regulations due to take effect January 2015, Finnlines has ordered Wärtsilä Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems for six of its Baltic and North Sea fleet of vessels, Wärtsilä said. By selecting the scrubber systems, Wärtsilä said the vessels will be able to operate in compliance with the new environmental regulations while continuing to operate on heavy fuel oil. The systems will also operate in compliance with the water discharge criteria set by regulators.

Wärtsilä has been contracted to retrofit its Open Loop Scrubber systems on three additional vessels owned by Color Line, Norway's largest cruise and ferry operator. With the latest contract, Wärtsilä's now has 36 shipsets, totalling 75 scrubber units, either already installed or in the pipeline. Each vessel will be fitted with four systems designed to rid the ships' exhaust gases of harmful sulphur oxide (SOx) and particulate emissions. The Wärtsilä systems will enable the vessels to comply with current and anticipated environmental legislation…