As of 1st January 2015, ships trading in emissions control areas (ECAs) will be required to consume fuel with less than 0.1% sulfur content. A ship operator may meet this requirement by consuming high-sulfur fuel at sea, and then “switching” to low-sulfur fuel within the ECA.
Other ship operators may choose to reduce operational efforts by “converting” their vessels in order to always consume low-sulfur diesel oil, or utilize natural gas that has almost no sulfur content.
Alternatively, international convention allows a ship operator to consume high-sulfur fuel by using an exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) that can reach an equivalent level of emission reductions. These “scrubbers” withhold most of the sulfur, and some amount of particulate matters, out of the exhaust gas after the high-sulfur fuel is burned.
Each ship operator will need to consider the discussions for and against each EGCS.With the coming deadline of 2015, ship operators considering this option should conduct an individual analysis, and consider a prototype installation in the near future.
Discussions for EGCS: Based on the fact that the cost of distillate fuel oil has historically been priced 50% higher than high sulfur residual fuel oils, the cost savings may be so significant that some operators may find installing EGCS a competitive solution.
Discussions against EGCS: The impact on ship arrangements, operations and logistics, the uncertainty for environmental and local regulations, the lack of experience due to few shipboard installations.
EGCS ship candidates:
• New and existing vessels built before IMO Tier III NOx requirements.
• Ships that operate a significant period of time inside SECA zones annually.
• Ships, that is feasible for an EGCS to be integrated with existing arrangements.
A techno-economical study is necessary to assist ship operators in determining if the installation and operation of an ECGS inside a SECA zone is a practical and lower cost solution for their fleet or individual ships of their fleet.The study will try to provide replies to the following questions: • What is required to be done?
• How much fuel cost savings can be realized by an EGCS?
• Which EGCS technology will work for each fleet?
• Can an EGCS be practically integrated in ship operations?
ARGO NAVIS LTD. can perform a techno-economical study for the selection and installation of EGCS, including technology survey review for each supplier and life cycle cost analysis, while has already started performing presentations to its clients or any Owner/Operator who is interested.
For more details and for A FREE OF CHARGE PRESENTATION AT YOUR PREMISES, feel free to contact us.
