Compact device claimed to cut NOx, SOx, PM and CO2

Ecospec Global Technology Pte Ltd (Ecospec), a research and technology company specialising in advanced water and oil treatment technologies, has developed a new green technology for the shipping industry which it believes will appeal to both shipowners and regulators and in the process, remove pollutants that contribute to global warming and degradation of the ocean environment.

This new device, known as CSNOx, is the first of its kind in the world capable of reducing nitrogen oxide (“NOx”), sulphur dioxide (“SO2”), carbon dioxide (“CO2”) and particulate matter (“PM”) emitted by ships into the environment in a single process system. Of significance, the scrubbing process carried out by CSNOx is achieved at a net carbon credit gain without any net increase in CO2 to the atmosphere or acidifying the ocean. There is also no other secondary pollutants discharged into the sea. Adding further to its appeal, CSNOx is also highly cost-effective and due to its compact design, may be easily installed on ships.

“This is a major breakthrough for the global shipping industry in general and for Ecospec, a homegrown Singapore company, in particular. Prior to CSNOx, there is no single equipment aboard ships with the capability to remove CO2, SO2, NOx and PM at a go, and not generate further CO2 emissions during the process or acidify the ocean. With the Marine industry going Green, Ecospec is proud to pioneer an all-in-one eco-friendly technology that is set to change the way the industry operates,” declares Chew Hwee Hong, Managing Director and founder of the company.

Drawing from its core technology in water and oil treatment in its development, Ecospec has successfully tested CSNOx onboard an ocean-going supertanker, jointly with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a leading ship classification society, and a leading tanker shipping company.

Now all three parties in this Marine Go Green initiative ? Ecospec, ABS and one of the world?s leading international tanker operators ? are ready to showcase CSNOx to the international shipping community.

The results of the test show that the device has 92.9%, 82.2% and 74.4% efficiency for scrubbing SO2, NOx and CO2 respectively.

The launch of CSNOx for commercial use is also seen as timely as regulators like IMO (International Maritime Organisation) ? which oversees implementation of the law of the sea ? and shipowners have been taking steps to tackle pollution problems caused by ocean-going vessels. Indeed, shipping companies? attitudes to caring for the sea have changed by the introduction of international legislations such as the International Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) which was introduced in 1973.

Going forward, there is likely to be increasing pressure on shipowners to clean up their act with the recent introduction of the Carbon Indexing Scheme, among other legislations, for CO2 management by IMO in 2005. Indeed, countries like the US and EU already have their own control measures which require all ships calling on their ports to comply with strict emissions requirements.