The payback period from installation of Marine Wartsila SOx scrubber, the freshwater exhaust gas cleaning system, is 3 or 3.5 years, Vesa Marttinen, Director of Wärtsilä's Environmental Services unit told PortNews.
The calculations were made for an average Ro-Ro vessel operating on feeder services in northern Europe. According to the expert, the best option is to order newbuilds, which were originally designed as LNG-fueled vessels. The payback time of such a vessel, according to Wartsila’s calculations will be 2-3 years. The company has already signed contracts with several operators to design ferries operating on liquified natural gas.
Vesa Martinen noted that shipping companies will start operating the LNG-powered vessels after 2015, when strict regulation of SOx emission from ships with sulfur cap reduced to 0.1%, come into force from Jan. 2015. However, their share will not exceed one-third of the total fleet operating in the Baltic region.
Previously, the revised Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL convention) entered into force globally on 1 July 2010, together with important reductions in sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions in specific areas called Emissions Control Areas (ECAs). It was adopted in October 2008.
The main changes to MARPOL Annex VI will see a progressive reduction of SOx emissions from ships, with the global sulphur cap reduced initially to 3.50% (from the current 4.50%), effective from 1 January 2012; then progressively to 0.50 %, effective from 1 January 2020, subject to a feasibility review to be completed no later than 2018.
The calculations were made for an average Ro-Ro vessel operating on feeder services in northern Europe. According to the expert, the best option is to order newbuilds, which were originally designed as LNG-fueled vessels. The payback time of such a vessel, according to Wartsila’s calculations will be 2-3 years. The company has already signed contracts with several operators to design ferries operating on liquified natural gas.
Vesa Martinen noted that shipping companies will start operating the LNG-powered vessels after 2015, when strict regulation of SOx emission from ships with sulfur cap reduced to 0.1%, come into force from Jan. 2015. However, their share will not exceed one-third of the total fleet operating in the Baltic region.
Previously, the revised Annex VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL convention) entered into force globally on 1 July 2010, together with important reductions in sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions in specific areas called Emissions Control Areas (ECAs). It was adopted in October 2008.
The main changes to MARPOL Annex VI will see a progressive reduction of SOx emissions from ships, with the global sulphur cap reduced initially to 3.50% (from the current 4.50%), effective from 1 January 2012; then progressively to 0.50 %, effective from 1 January 2020, subject to a feasibility review to be completed no later than 2018.
The limits applicable in sulphur ECAs are reduced to 1.00%, beginning on 1 July 2010 (from the current 1.50%); being further reduced to 0.10%, effective from 1 January 2015. This means that ships trading in the current ECAs will have to burn fuel of lower sulphur content (or use an alternative method to reduce emissions) from 1 July 2010.
The revised Annex lists two ECAs for the control of SOx, and particulate matter: the Baltic Sea area and the North Sea, which includes the English Channel.
The MARPOL Annex VI Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships have, to date, been ratified by 59 countries, representing approximately 84.23 % of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping fleet.