Wilhelmsen RO/RO to be fitted with world’s largest exhaust gas cleaning system

A 38,486 dwt Wilh. Wilhelmsen RO/RO ship, MV Tamesis is to be retrofitteded with the world’s largest exhaust gas scrubbing system. Supplied by Wärtsillä Hamworthy, the multi-stream Krystallon Exhaust Gas Cleaning System will remove sulfur and particulates from the exhaust gasses of the vessel’s main and auxiliary engines, which have a combined power of 28,000 kW.

The installation will prepare MV Tamesis for emissions regulations that come into force from January 2015 and that mandate that vessels must burn fuel with a sulfur content of 0.1 percent when operating within Emissions Control Areas (ECAs).

The installation will be carried out during the vessel’s scheduled intermediate docking in the first quarter of 2013. Following the commissioning a comprehensive third party measurement and verification program will be carried out over two and a half years, partly funded by the Research Council of Norway.

“This is yet another example of the growing market demand for scrubbing systems.” said Sigurd Jenssen, Managing Director, Hamworthy Krystallon “The third party measurement and verification of the project, which will be carried out by Marintek, the Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute, is a key element which will further endorse the viability of scrubbing as an efficient and cost effective solution for ECA compliance. We anticipate that more owners and operators will follow industry leaders like Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA in the adoption of scrubbers in advance of the 2015 deadline.”

By using a scrubber to reduce sulfur and particulate matter emissions from its main engine as well as its auxiliaries, MV Tamesis will be able to operate in ECAs from 2015 on a ‘business as usual’ basis avoiding the $300 to $400 price premium that standard vessels will have to pay for the distillate fuels they will need to burn to remain compliant.

“Installing Hamworthy Krystallon scrubber unit is a major step in preparing our fleet for the regulatory compliance,” says Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA’s project manager, Thamba Rajeevan. “When new, stricter emissions regulations come into force in 2015, our experience with this technology will be a valuable tool for taking the right decisions for the rest of our fleet. In the end, we want to see both a significant savings in emissions and a strong return on investment for the scrubber installation.”

April 23, 2012