IMO 2020: Training Key for Scrubber Equipped Vessel Operators, says CTG

Training will be key for scrubber users. File Image / Pixabay

With a growing number of ship owners choosing exhaust gas cleaning systems as their route to IMO 2020 compliance, Chelsea Technologies Group (CTG) says it is important users of the technology have adequate training on the new systems.

The "IMO 2020" global 0.50% sulfur cap on marine fuel comes into force on January 1, 2020, but vessels using a scrubber will be able to achieve an equivalent method of compliance while burning otherwise non-compliant bunkers.

There are also growing regulations surrounding washwater discharge from the systems.

"Scrubbers are an attractive option for many vessels assessing compliance solutions ahead of 2020, given the expected disparity in fuel costs between HFO and compliant fuels. For those taking the decision to invest in scrubbers, it is critical that they plan ahead and that all aspects of scrubber operations are considered ahead of installation," says Dr Brian Phillips, Managing Director, CTG.

"For vessel operators, it is essential to work with knowledgeable experts to receive the training required to operate new systems, along with the understanding they need to be able to interpret and apply the data, and prove compliance. CTG is working with leading scrubber manufacturers to ensure that ship owners who are taking the decision to invest in scrubber technologies have easy access to all the data they need to accurately prove compliance with wash water regulations, allowing companies to stay ahead of regulations and continue to trade across the globe."

The comments came alongside news that CTG's Sea Sentry wash water monitoring system for ship exhaust gas cleaning systems has been installed in a Shandong Pure Ocean Technology scrubber, with the installation representing one of the first scrubber retrofits to be carried out in a Chinese yard and a "reflection of the industry-wide acceleration in the global scrubber market."