Scrubber alliance seeks role in IMO talks

The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) currently represents 21 companies, accounting for more than 2,000 ships, which have made significant investments in scrubbers as a means of complying with IMO’s 2020 fuel sulphur requirements. The alliance confirmed to The Motorship that it will be seeking consultative status with the IMO.

“CSA 2020 believes that exhaust gas cleaning systems will make a substantial difference to the ports and ocean environments in which their ships operate and will promote global environmental progress – especially the goal of reducing the health impact from airborne sources, which is at the heart of the 2020 IMO regulation,” the alliance said in a statement.

As well as tackling perceived misconceptions about scrubbers – held both by regulators and the public – the alliance said it will support the “scheduled implementation and effective enforcement” of the global sulphur cap. The group intends to both disseminate academic research on scrubbers as well as corroborating those findings with stakeholder research.

Responding to industry concern that open-loop scrubbers could be subject to future restrictions, media representatives of the alliance told The Motorship: “According to available research and data, there are no scientifically backed reasons why scrubbers should be banned.”

The group’s membership to date comprises: Blystad Group; Cargill; Carnival Corp; DHT Holdings; Eagle Bulk Shipping; Eastern Pacific Shipping; Frontline; Golden Ocean Group; Grimaldi Group; Hunter Group; Navig8 Group; Okeanis Eco Tankers; Oldendorff Carriers; Safe Bulkers; Spliethoff; Star Bulk Carriers Corp; Torm; and Trafigura

Membership is open to any industry stakeholder who is supportive of the timely and fair implementation of the IMO sulphur cap.