Little Growth Seen in Boxship Scrubber Installations in Next Two Years: Report

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday June 14, 2023

Little growth can be expected in the share of scrubber-equipped tonnage in the global container fleet over the next two years, according to shipping intelligence service Alphaliner.

By the end of May 967 container ships had scrubbers fitted, representing 32.8% of the fleet by capacity, Alphaliner said in its weekly note to clients.

"This percentage has risen just 2% in eighteen months as attention has switched to wholescale fleet replacement with alternative fuel propulsion," the company said.

And based on current data, the percentage is unlikely to rise much beyond 34% by the end of 2024.

The company also cited narrowing price spreads between VLSFO and HSFO as another reason for sowing installations.

On Tuesday Ship & Bunker's G20-HSFO Index of prices across 20 leading bunkering ports stood at a $104.50/mt discount to the G20-VLSFO Index, compared with a $380/mt discount a year earlier.