Wärtsilä Takes First Order of 'Carbon-Capture-Ready' Scrubber Systems

Late last year the company received an order of carbon-capture-ready scrubber systems for installation on four 8,200 TEU boxships. Image Credit: Wärtsilä

Engineering firm Wärtsilä has taken its first orders for scrubber systems ready for retrofit to include carbon capture technology at a later date.

Late last year the company received an order of carbon-capture-ready scrubber systems for installation on four 8,200 TEU boxships, it said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. The systems are due for delivery later this year.

"The scrubbers are termed CCS-Ready because, as part of their installation, Wärtsilä will perform additional design and engineering work to ensure that future retrofits for a full CCS system on the vessels have already been accounted for during the newbuilding construction stage," the company said in the statement.

"Wärtsilä will take measures to ensure adequate space for the future installation of CCS system, incorporate considerations for minimising idle load and optimising utilities, and prepare the control and automation system accordingly.

"CCS-Ready scrubbers will also be designed for integration with a Particulate Matter filter."

The firm is currently testing carbon capture systems with a 70% capture rate, and a pilot installation will be carried out within the next year.

Onboard carbon capture systems remove a percentage of carbon emissions from vessels' exhausts, allowing them to reduce GHG emissions without switching fuels. The technology is gaining in popularity in the shipping industry, but will not be suitable for all segments because of the space requirements on board ships for the captured carbon.