Oil tanker shipping company Frontline announced that it has ordered scrubbers for a further 12 vessels from Feen Marine Scrubbers (FMSI). This order comes to add the another six scrubbers that the company ordered from FMSI in June 2018.
Currently, Frontline has committed to install 20 scrubbers, including two exhaust gas cleaning systems that are being installed on the newbuilding VLCCs ‘Front Discovery’ and ‘Front Defender’.
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Commenting on the announcement, Robert Hvide Macleod, CEO of Frontline Management, mentioned that this move aims to modernize its fleet, by reducing the average age of the company;s owned vessels to 4.7 years.
With the new scrubbers, more than 40% of Frontline’s owned fleet will be equipped with scrubbers. Most of these installations will be carried out before 2020, when new sulphur emissions requirements will apply.
The company also informed that more installations will be considered.
A few days before this announcement, Euronav had stated that it considers scrubbers as a loop hole,, which will make the sulphur cap even more complex. This is an opinion that Odfjell seems to share, as it announced that it will not invest in scrubbers, as this technology ‘does not make sense’.
Until now, a large number of companies have opted for scrubbers. Namely, Maersk will add scrubbers to some of its ships, despite announcing last February that it would choose low sulphur fuel oil.
DFDS will also install scrubbers on 12 freight ferries on routes in the Mediterranean. Another company that chose scrubbers is Safe Bulkers. The company will install scrubbers in about half of its fleet, comprising five Kamsarmax vessels, thirteen Post-Panamax vessels and a Capesize vessel.
Maran Tankers will also install scrubbers on 13 vessels until 2020. Furthermore, Golden Ocean Group will install scrubbers on 16 Capesize vessels with options for 9 more, while Eagle Bulk Shipping will purchase up to 37 scrubbers.
Additionally, Japanese ONE sees low-sulphur fuel oil as the most viable option, with Jinhui Shipping and Transportation also believing that low sulphur fuel oil will be more beneficial.
