Connect with us

Business

ABS: Lessons learned from scrubber installation and operation

Scrubbers have been operating in marine environments for almost 30 years, so owners were not exactly entering a brave new world of technology, says ABS.
Admin

Published

5 years ago

on

CM1

The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) recently released a post highlighting the challenges and possible solutions that were experienced by operators installing and operating exhaust gas cleaning systems.

At the beginning of this year, the IMO’s global sulfur cap on marine fuels entered into force and shipowners who chose the SOx scrubber pathway to compliance began the modern era of emissions reduction.

Scrubbers have been operating in marine environments for almost 30 years, so owners were not exactly entering a brave new world of technology. But any time a new technology is integrated into an individual vessel’s operating system, lessons are learned; and these lessons create a knowledge base that operators with less experience with scrubbers can draw from.

Leading class societies have been supporting scrubber integration in the marine environment since their first application. ABS, for one, has gathered the depth of market intelligence required to help owners to improve the process of installing and operating most scrubber systems.

Lessons have been learned about everything from installation and commissioning to the most common hardware failures for operating systems, and the type of consumables that are typically needed.

In this post, we will discuss some of the key issues associated with the installation and operation of scrubbers. But for a comprehensive list, please download ABS’s guide, practical considerations for the Installation and Operation of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems.

In commissioning SOx Scrubber systems, there can be challenges associated with extensive test periods, usually the result of an owner/operator having limited test plans and/or pre-commissioning work. This may be relatively intuitive, but following an approved test plan and completing the pre-commissioning activities are the fastest way to avoid these problems.

Another recurrent problem we are seeing, specifically during the installation process, is when washwater is carried over with the exhaust gas. This is commonly the result of unsuitable or inefficient flowpaths for the exhaust gas and can be resolved by optimizing the flowpath and/or modifying the design of the demister, which removes liquid droplets from the vapor stream.

Below are some more symptoms that operators are experiencing, and potential solutions:

HIGH EXHAUST BACK-PRESSURE:
This is likely due to either undersized scrubbers, sharp bends in exhaust piping, water-spray resistance, or a failure of the bypass-isolation valve interlock. Ultimately, the system’s design usually can be improved through simulations that identify the potential sources of back-pressure.

INTERRUPTED OPERATIONS
In the case of washwater supply, the problem can be caused by clogged filters in the supply piping. But when frequent operational interruptions become problematic, it is constructive to thoroughly examine your redundancy options. A failure mode and effect analysis can support this process.

NON-COMPLIANT PERFORMANCE
(eg., washwater pH value, SO2/CO2 ratio): These symptoms could be due to inadequacies in the washwater, low alkalinity in the water supply or simply an ineffective water-spray pattern. Improving the overall design, a process that can be verified through the use of computation fluid dynamics modeling, and verification of alkalinity levels in the water supply may resolve the issue.

POOR RELIABILITY OF MONITORING SYSTEMS
(including instrument malfunction): These symptoms can be caused by many issues, including the simple fact that the monitoring system may not be designed for marine applications. Other possible causes include that it may not be calibrated or installed correctly. Start by ensuring that the monitoring system is approved for marine use, and then follow the manufacturer’s instructions for calibration and maintenance.

HARDWARE FAILURE
When a SOx Scrubber system suffers a hardware failure there can be multiple causes. Below are some that industry-operating history suggests owner/operators may want to consider investigating when searching for solutions:

  • The sampling tubing may have become clogged, preventing accurate readings of SO2/CO2 ratios in the exhaust gas
  • The pressure transducers at the bottom of the pipe run may have become clogged with debris because the sensors were located in the wrong places
  •  The demister in the scrubber chamber may have malfunctioned due to a build-up of deposits
  •  Defective welds on piping system could have allowed washwater to leak
  •  Low-grade stainless steel (e.g. SS316 for fittings inside the scrubber chamber) may not have held up to       the corrosive operating environment
  •  The metallic pipe section on the side shell used to discharge washwater also may be corroded
  • The air pump that samples exhaust gases may not be working properly
  •  The scrubber’s uptake damper cannot be operated in manual mode
  •  The mechanical seals for the washwater feed pumps may have failed
  • The automation controls for printed circuit boards may have failed

MAJOR INCIDENTS CAUSING ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND DAMAGE:
History has taught the industry that most costly asset failures are the result of human error. The actions may be well-intentioned, but crews need to be fully trained to operate specific systems and to discourage any efforts to operate them in a mode that would disregard the control system, or manufacturer recommendations for upkeep.

In one recent event, a main engine stalled due to high backpressure after a scrubber by-pass damper failed to open when the scrubber uptake damper was closing. The programmable logic controller that was designed to control the interlock of the by-pass and uptake dampers had failed. Regular maintenance and testing in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions could have identified the problem.

The incident made clear that safety features require regular maintenance and testing in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and that crews in charge of any system need to be familiar with basic starting procedures, such as checking damper positions and safety features.

In general, the industry has learned a lot about exhaust-gas scrubbers in the 30 years since they were first used in marine applications. The average owner may have become relatively familiar with the individual systems they chose to use.

However, leading class societies such as ABS will have learned the lessons from many systems, and have the depth of knowledge to help owners with any challenges they may face.

 

Photo credit: Cameron Venti from Unsplash
Published: 7 October, 2021

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Milestone

GCMD: Project CAPTURED achieves two regulatory milestones for onboard captured CO2

CO2 captured onboard during the project has been formally recognised for compliance under the EU ETS while a proposal submitted to MEPC 84, based on the project, has received IMO’s in-principle support.

Admin

Published

1 minute ago

on

July 22, 2026

By

RESIZED venti views

Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (21 July) said Project CAPTURED has achieved two regulatory milestones that strengthen the commercial case for onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS).

This comes following its world’s first demonstration of an end-to-end value chain for onboard captured and liquefied CO2 (LCO2).

Completed in June 2025, the pilot showed that CO2 captured onboard a vessel can be offloaded ship-to-ship, transported overland and permanently bound through carbon mineralisation—a process that converts captured CO₂ into stable materials for industrial use.

The CO2 captured onboard during Project CAPTURED has been formally recognised for compliance under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This means the verified tonnage of captured CO2 can be deducted from emissions requiring the surrender of EU Allowances (EUAs).

To qualify for this recognition, the CO2 must be chemically bound permanently in eligible products. Project CAPTURED demonstrated that CO2 captured onboard vessels can meet this requirement through carbon mineralisation.

The data and learnings from the same demonstration formed the basis of a proposal submitted to MEPC 84. This proposal received in-principle support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for recognising carbon mineralisation as a form of permanent CO₂ storage.

Complementing geological sequestration, which is already accepted by the IMO, this recognition broadens the downstream options for CO2 captured onboard vessels, and supports the development of maritime carbon value chains. Beyond providing a permanent storage pathway, carbon mineralisation also creates the potential for captured CO2 to serve not only as a waste stream requiring permanent storage, but also as a feedstock for industrial applications through carbon mineralisation, extending emissions reductions beyond the shipping value chain.

Professor Lynn Loo, CEO, GCMD, said, “Project CAPTURED has moved OCCS beyond technical demonstration. The acceptance of the EU ETS deduction gives captured CO₂ a compliance value. At the same time, IMO’s in-principle support for carbon mineralisation will help clarify how captured CO2 can be treated after it leaves the vessel. Together, these milestones turn a pilot into a verified reference case for maritime carbon logistics, one that links regulatory recognition, commercial value and emissions impact.”

 

Photo credit: Venti Views on Unsplash
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Bunker Fuel

Alkagesta highlights key insights of Malta bunkering market in 2026

Darren Lee Axisa discusses the key trends influencing Malta’s bunkering market and the factors that will determine Malta’s long-term competitiveness as a regional bunkering hub.
Admin

Published

4 minutes ago

on

July 22, 2026

By

Alkagesta highlights key insights of Malta bunkering market in 2026

In an article published on Alkagesta Market Insights, Darren Lee Axisa, Malta Country Manager of Alkagesta, on Monday (20 July) discussed the key trends influencing Malta’s bunkering market and the factors that will determine Malta’s long-term competitiveness as a regional bunkering hub: 

Malta’s bunkering and energy market is moving through a period of structural adjustment. The disruptions that defined the first half of 2026 have accelerated shifts in product demand, terminal strategy, and the competitive dynamics of one of the Mediterranean’s most strategically positioned bunkering hubs. For Alkagesta, whose storage footprint on the island approaches 300,000 cubic metres, the period has tested operational flexibility while reinforcing the value of diversified infrastructure access.

A Market Shifting in Two Directions

Malta’s broader economy has remained resilient — GDP growth reached 3.9% in Q1 2026 — but the bunkering market has undergone a significant product mix shift, the roots of which predate the current geopolitical disruption.

The Mediterranean Emission Control Area, which came into force on 1 May 2025, triggered an immediate and measurable realignment in fuel demand across the region. VPS data covering the first six months post-ECA implementation shows that across the top ten Mediterranean bunkering ports, VLSFO volumes fell 23%, MGO more than doubled, ULSFO quadrupled, and biofuels increased fivefold. In Valletta specifically, the shift was even more pronounced: VLSFO dropped 57% from 111,641 mt to 47,732 mt, while MGO volumes more than tripled from 33,299 mt to 103,445 mt, and ULSFO rose from 2,821 mt to 34,535 mt over the same period.

This structural rotation has been further accelerated by the broader regulatory environment. FuelEU Maritime and EU ETS requirements are pushing shipowners toward cleaner, verifiable fuel options at every port call — a direction Alkagesta had already positioned itself ahead of, having been among the first movers in the Mediterranean to support the transition to 0.1% sulphur fuel oil following the ECA’s introduction.

Layered on top of this regulatory shift has been a period of reduced terminal capacity affecting bunkering market availability across the island. Fuel oil volumes dropped roughly 35% year-on-year between January and May 2026, falling from approximately 382,000 mt in 2025 to 247,000 mt. DMA demand moved sharply in the opposite direction, rising from around 150,000 mt in January to April 2025 to 247,000 mt over the same period in 2026 — a trend consistent with both the ECA-driven product mix shift and the disruption to heavier fuel availability during the constrained period.

Note: The full article can be read here. 

 

Photo credit: Alkagesta
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Technology

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

Admin

Published

2 hours ago

on

July 22, 2026

By

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending