Report on CSA 2020 Technical Seminar – Brussels, 14 November 2019

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The Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) 2020 held its 3rd technical workshop in Brussels last week and invited the EGCSA to participate. The technical part of day started with a joint session reviewing concerns and perceptions and discussed how the associations could work together to correct misinformation and a knowledge deficit with respect to EGCS amongst a surprising number of the public, press, commerce and regulators. In some meteorological conditions, a white plume can be seen from a funnel fitted with an operating EGCS. The plume is simply condensed water from the exhaust gases, like steam rising from a kettle but to the uninformed a visible plume is a worry and regarded as a potential risk. This and other concerns were discussed, and actions agreed in a very open and useful exchange of ideas.

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EGCSA Workshop – 2020 & Future Emissions Mitigation – London, 11-12 December 2019

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A two-day workshop held by the EGCSA from 11-12 December 2019 at The Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel will focus on topics ranging from very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and the developments in the 2020 fuels market to the future of marine transport, the Greenhouse Gas Challenge and the harmonisation of wash water discharge requirements.

Guests speakers include Dr. Elizabeth Lindstad, chief scientist at SINTEF Ocean; Hédi Grati, consulting director at global information analyst IHS Markit; James Corbett, professor of marine policy at the University of Delaware; UCL Energy Institute’s Dr Tristan Smith (TBC), Sunil Krishnarkumar from the International Chamber of Shipping (TBC) and the founder of The Arlington Institute, leading futurist John L. Petersen, who will open the forum on 11 December with a presentation titled “Getting to 2027: Extraordinary Changes, An Emerging New World”.

The EGCSA workshops are recognised in the industry as offering an insight into the real story behind exhaust gas treatment technologies (EGCS) and their use in commercial shipping. At the same time, the events provide industry members with an informal forum to exchange information and ideas, as well as discuss key issues with experts.

The two-day event is open to a limited number of non EGCSA members for a nominal fee of £450. They are invited to attend the public sessions of the meeting, which run from 9.30 am on 11 December to 12 pm on 12 December, and the delegate dinner (self-pay) at the Swan Hotel in Staines for a relaxed evening of networking. A closed, private session for members on the afternoon of 12 December concludes the event.

To register, please contact the EGCSA at info@egcsa.com.

EGCSA launches global database to eliminate uncertainty around the operation of exhaust gas cleaning systems

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STAINES, 28 June 2019 – With just six months until the entry into force of a global marine fuel sulphur cap of 0.50%, the number of ships fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) by 1 January 2020 is set to be around 4,000. The EGCSA has today launched a free to access global database concerning operating rules for EGCS at www.egcsa.com for those ship-owners who have invested in achieving a cleaner environment with the help of EGCS. Consultants to IMO, CE Delft, had forecast some 3,000 ships would be fitted with EGCS by 2020. This investment in exhaust gas cleaning systems by a substantial portion of ship-owners will also benefit those ship-owners who have chosen to do nothing and plan just to procure fuel that complies with IMO limits. The significant number of ship-owners who have opted for EGCS will alleviate some of the pressure on 0.50% sulphur fuel supplies as they are likely to reduce global demand by approximately 18%.

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STATEMENT BY THE EGCSA CONCERNING THE ANNOUNCED BAN ON OPEN LOOP MARINE SCRUBBER DISCHARGE BY THE SINGAPORE MPA

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STAINES, 4 December 2018 – The IMO legislated to introduce a 0.5 % sulphur cap for all shipping vessels from 2020 with the aim of protecting human health and the marine environment from noxious sulphur dioxide emissions. The shipping industry is reacting responsibly by fitting vessels with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), so-called marine scrubbers, or by switching to low sulphur fuel.

The recent announcement by the outgoing CEO of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) banning the discharge of process water from open loop scrubbers for vessels visiting Singapore came without prior notice or discussion with the IMO despite the fact that the Singapore MPA is a signatory to MARPOL Annex VI. The MPA provided neither scientific evidence for its decision nor was the industry invited to consultation. If there had been discussion, the Singapore MPA might have realised the high risks to human health resulting from the high toxicity of low sulphur fuels and more toxic distillates if no exhaust gas cleaning systems are used. The many dumbbell low sulphur fuels (0.50%S fuel oils) are also expected to have less complete combustion as the fuel boiling point distribution and that this will also contribute to higher particulate matter discharge and poorer air quality in Singapore.

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