Imabari Installs First SOx Scrubber in Japan

Imabari Shipbuilding Japanese shipyard Imabari Shipbuilding has installed the first SOx scrubber in Japan onto a new 84,000 dwt bulk carrier MV Nadeshiko built for an undisclosed local shipowner. After its completion, the vessel will conduct data collection and verification on the system, maintenance and operation. This installation is the joint research support project together with Class NK called Main Engine Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) installation on operating newbuilding vessel, and closed loop practicing test. The Fuji Electric-manufactured SOx scrubber adopts cyclone system and it can be installed without changing the dimensions of superstructure. Sulfuric Oxides (SOx) emission control regulation by IMO, which requires sulfur content upper limit to be 0.1%, has already been implemented since 2015 in the Emission Control Area (ECA). For outside ECA, the regulation will be tightened in 2020 or by 2025, as the current upper limit of 3.5% will be decreased to 0.5%.