NAT underscores stance of not installing scrubbers

The company is steadfast on its decision that scrubbers are not a solution for NAT based upon a conservative financial policy,” NAT said on Wednesday.

“An increased number of ports now prohibit or impose strict requirements on the use of scrubbers, which purify emissions from large ships. The scrubber cleans the exhaust from vessels for sulphur and emit impure water into the sea, and that is what the ports now will put an end to,” NAT said.

A number of countries, including China and Singapore, are set to ban the use of open-loop scrubbers in port and coastal waters, and more countries and ports are expected to follow.

Read more: More coastal states and ports likely to ban open-loop scrubbers: Gard

The tanker owner noted a report earlier this week by Reuters that Norway might ban the use of scrubbers.

The use of scrubbers to meet the low sulphur requirements of IMO 2020 has become an emotive issue with strong opinions from owners both for against the use of exhaust cleaning systems, particularly open-loop scubbers which discharge washwater into the sea.