Rivertrace publishes paper on scrubber tech and washwater monitoring

Smart water quality monitoring technology firm Rivertrace Limited on Thursday (30 May) published a technical white paper that focusses on scrubber technology options and washwater monitoring.

Entitled ‘To Scrub or not to scrub?’, the white paper provides the industry with a need-to-know guide to all options for compliance, with particular focus on scrubbers and IMO washwater monitoring guidelines.

The paper also explores the impact of sulphur emissions from ships, the chemistry of scrubbing sulphur from exhaust gases and the benefits associated with scrubber use.

In publishing the new white paper, Rivertrace have issued an advisory to ship owners that during the selection of a scrubber technology, careful consideration of what washwater monitoring equipment is used by the scrubber manufacturer is a vital importance to ensure potential regulatory requirements are met in the future.

“We have seen recent bans on scrubber operation in some ports because of the washwater discharge issue,” says Mike Coomber, Managing Director of Rivertrace.

“However, there is acceptance that the continued use of scrubbers by ships may depend on being able to prove that washwater quality is constantly monitored and shown to meet appropriate standards.

“The fact that scrubber washwater remains to be the only discharge of its type not subject to the same standards as discharges from other shipboard systems means that it will almost inevitably lead the requirement of mandatory monitoring.

“Therefore, ship owners must be well-informed of washwater monitoring equipment options and those used by scrubber manufacturers in order to ensure compliance with future standards.” 

Photo credit: Rivertrace
Published: 31 May, 2019