Clean Marine's marine scrubber system becomes first to operate inside U.S. ECA
M/V Balder, equipped with Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) from Clean Marine, is the first vessel in the world to operate this type of system in the U.S. Emission Control Area (ECA), the system developer said in a press release.
Upon arrival in Baltimore last week, the vessel's Master sought approval from the coast guard to enter and exit the ECA Zone using High Sulphur Fuel Oil with EGCS, rather than burning the more expensive Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (1% Sulphur content).
As a leading pioneer within emission cleaning, Clean Marine invited USCG and EPA to observe the EGCS in operation for compliance with the ECA. Officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, led by Lieutenant Commander Edgardo Cruz (Chief Inspection Division, Sector Baltimore), conducted a Port State Control exam on 29th of August in Baltimore and confirmed that the Clean Marine EGCS installed onboard was operating satisfactory and found to be in full compliance with MARPOL Annex VI as an equivalency to utilizing low sulfur fuel oil as per the IAPP Certificate.
The Clean Marine EGCS onboard the handymax bulk carrier is an integrated, multi-stream system which cleans the exhaust from one main engine, three auxiliary engines and one boiler. The system is also a hybrid type which can operate in both open and closed loop.
The EGCS is fully certified by DNV and has been proven to reduce sulphur content to below 0.1%. This means that Balder, owned by Torvald Klaveness, already complies with the much stricter 2015 emission regulation when operating in Europe and North America.
Clean Marine is also the first company to approach the USCG and the United States Environmental Protection Agency for inspection and approval, strengthening the company's standing as a pioneer within emission cleaning.
Clean Marine AS has, since 2006, invested more than USD $20 million in development of an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS), better known as a scrubber, for the maritime industry. Through extensive testing in the workshop and in the field, Clean Marine's marine scrubber has been developed into a highly flexible multi stream exhaust gas cleaning device for existing and new ships. The multi-stream feature allows all exhaust sources onboard to be cleaned by one common cleaning unit, offering a competitive solution that is easy to operate.
Clean Marine offers ship owners, engine makers and ship builders the equipment and support needed to install an EGCS on both newbuildings and existing ships.