Shipping trio to install a scrubber and CCS system onboard bulk carrier

Greek dry bulk shipping company Diana Shipping, Hong Kong-based marine tech firm Sinotech and US-based ballast management firm Ecochlor have agreed to install a scrubber and CCS system onboard one of Diana’s bulk carriers.

PHOTO: Diana’s bulk carrier, MV G.P. Zafirakis, will be fitted with a scrubber and CCS system. Diana Shipping

Under the agreement, Diana’s bulk carrier, MV G.P. Zafirakis, will be fitted with a scrubber and carbon capture and storage (CCS) system.

The system is “designed to capture 25% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted within the exhaust gas and temporarily storing it onboard in liquified form (LCO2),” Ecochlor claims.

A scrubber is a device used to remove pollutants or particles from a gas stream, while CCS is a technology designed to capture CO2 emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels to generate energy.

Sinotech will conduct feasibility study, handle engineering and installation, and crew training. The marine tech firm will “also handle the offloading and disposal of the captured CO2 in China.”

The installation of the system is expected to take place “at a Chinese shipyard, most likely in the Zhoushan province,” Ecochlor says.

In 2022, Sinotech’s CCS products received approval in principle from several classification societies including Lloyd’s Register (LR), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK), and Bureau Veritas (BV).

CCS gaining steam

The shipping industry is promoting carbon capture as a means to reduce the sector's carbon footprint and effectively meet global emissions reduction goals.

A recent report from DNV highlighted the onboard carbon capture and storage (OCSS) as an option "beyond fuels" to combat maritime emissions.

DNV underscored that OCSS would allow ships to use fossil-based fuels while significantly reducing emissions. This would ease the burden of producing green and blue fuels, like e-methanol or blue ammonia, to meet shipping demand.

Several shipping companies are exploring ways to integrate the technology onboard vessels.

Last month, South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean received classification society Korean Register’s (KR) approval for its Onboard CO2 Capture System (OCCS).

Also in the same month, Greek tech firm ERMA FIRST’s CCS system concept received approval from LR.

By Tuhin Roy

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