Scrubbers have been installed or ordered on over 10% of the global fleet by tonnage capacity, according to an update from Clarksons Research
Scrubbers have been installed or ordered on over 10% of the global fleet by tonnage capacity, according to an update from Clarksons Research.
The number of scrubbers installed and ordered has grown six-fold since January last year, reaching more than 2,500 vessels. Scrubbers have been ordered for 31% of vessels on the global orderbook by tonnage capacity.
“We estimate that by 2020 up to 10% of the world fleet by capacity will be scrubber fitted, increasing to 15% by the end of 2020,” said Clarksons Research managing director. “These estimates increase to 22% to 35% for the VLCC fleet.”
The cruise sector has the biggest uptake, at around 61% by tonnage, followed by tankers (14%), container ships (11%) and bulkers (7%). Of tankers on order, 53% will have a scrubber fitted, compared with 41% of container ship and 25% of bulk carrier tonnage.
Clarksons’ figures by tonnage capacity paint a different picture to figures by total number of vessels. According to DNV GL’s Alternative Fuels Insight portal, around 2,700 vessels will have scrubbers installed or on order by 2020. That represents just under 5% of the global, IMO-regulated fleet based on Equasis fleet statistics.
It is still possible to order scrubbers and install them before the global sulphur cap is introduced on 1 January 2020, CR Ocean Engineering has confirmed. The company reported an order from a US shipping company this week that will see a total of 35 scrubbers – including some ordered several months ago – installed over 2019.
As Avantis Marine founder Barry Bednar told sister publication Tanker Shipping & Trade, suppliers can still be found who will deliver scrubbers within eight months. Neither supply nor installation should prevent shipowners from having scrubbers in place before the rule change, Mr Bednar said.
“When it comes to installing, you don’t necessarily need a yard. If you need a bigger inlet or outlet than your current sea chest, you can have it cut by a diver. You will need to get to a yard at some stage, but you can put a scrubber in place without drydocking.”
Scrubber technology will be discussed at Riviera’s Americas Sulphur Cap 2020 Conference in Houston, Texas, 5-6 March 2019. Book now to reserve your place.
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