Safe Bulkers Ready for IMO Target with Scrubbers

Safe Bulkers, the provider of marine drybulk transportation services, said that it is on schedule in implementing its environmental investments installing scrubbers in approximately half of its  fleet during 2019 in anticipation of the effectiveness of the IMO sulphur cap regulations in 2020.

"We also remain committed to installing ballast water treatment systems in each of our vessels," said Dr. Loukas Barmparis, President.

Safe Bulkers said that its managers are certified in accordance with ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 related to environmental performance and energy efficiency, respectively.

"We have obtained environmental notation for 39 out of 41 of our vessels for the prevention of sea and air pollution, and we are in the process of obtaining such class notation for the remaining two vessels," it said.

"We adopted at an early stage the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments. We are also installing United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) in all of our vessels," the company said.

Furthermore, Safe Bulkers is preparing for the global 0.5% sulfur cap on marine fuels that will come into effect on January 1, 2020 (IMO 2020).

"In connection therewith, we are installing exhaust gas cleaning devices (Scrubbers) in almost half of our fleet, having decided to compete for such vessels on the basis of the price differential between the compliant fuels and the 3.5% sulfur content Heavy Fuel Oil," it said.

"For our remaining fleet that we have decided to compete on the basis of fuel consumption by using compliant fuels, and we are progressing with preparation and ship implementation plans for a smooth and timely transition to the new fuels," the company concluded.