Following the implementation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2020 Sulphur cap, shipping lines and owners have desperately been trying to install scrubbers on their vessels with various shipyards reporting extremely long waiting lists for scrubber installations.
According to an S&P Global Platts report, leading scrubber technologist and director at Wartsila Corporation, Sigurd Jenssen, confirmed that 3 000 – 4 000 vessels had already ordered scrubbers, but warned that shippers needed to order scrubbers six months in advance.
"Scrubbers are made to order and the standard lead time is six months," said Jenssen.
In addition, he said a scrubber installation could cost anywhere between $1 million - $5 million and usually took 15-30 days to install, but could take longer depending on vessel size and type.
Following the installation process, a scrubber will operate as a mini-refinery by allowing vessels to separate the excess of high sulphur HSFO fuel on-board. The only alternative is to purchase low-sulphur LSFO fuel at a much higher cost.
The IMO implemented its IMO 2020 fuel regulations on January 1 in a move to cut global carbon emissions and will see the limit of sulphur levels in bunker fuels reduced from 3.5% to 0.5%. – Bjorn Vorster
