German Shipowners Call for Clarity on Scrubber Waste Water Rules

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Monday November 10, 2014

The head of the German Shipowners' Association (VDR) says the EU should establish rules on the handling of waste water from scrubbers, PortNews reports.

Speaking in Hamburg during a workshop held by the liquified natural gas (LNG) Initiaitve Nordwest network, VDR's CEO Ralf Nagel said that rules surrounding the use of scrubbers are not being coordinated internationally, leading to uncertainty for shipowners.

"The EU member states need to establish uniform rules for discharging scrubbing water in their ports and coastal waters," said Nagel.

"Shipping companies that invested a great deal of money in scrubbers at an early stage in compliance with European and international parameters must not be punished for that now."

The report suggests that burning bunkers compliant with new Emissions Control Area (ECA) sulfur rules will raise fuel bills by around 50 percent within the European ECAs.

As a result, many shipowners are deciding to install scrubbers to clean exhaust fumes as an alternative.

Nagel suggested that those planning to switch fuels will need to see flexibility from port state controls authorities.

"Whoever doesn't install a scrubber will need to fill up with low-sulphur marine gas oil starting on 1 January 2015," he said.

"As there may still be residues of heavy fuel oil in the pipelines, in the beginning we're going to need a certain degree of flexibility as far as port state controls are concerned."

Earlier this year Nagel said EU politicians would need to help the European shipping industry if it is to be both environmentally pioneering and globally competitive.