Safe Bulkers orders additional retrofits of exhaust gas cleaning systems
In recent years, Greek shipowner Safe Bulkers has retrofitted Alfa Laval PureSOx exhaust gas cleaning systems on 20 of its bulk carriers.
The company has just installed its 21st PureSOx scrubber, and four more retrofits are scheduled through the first half of 2023. Once again, the systems will be protected with a comprehensive Alfa Laval Service Agreement.
Safe Bulkers is expanding the retrofit programme for exhaust gas cleaning within its fleet. Having now retrofitted an open-loop PureSOx system on the MV Pelopidas, the company will retrofit equivalent systems on four Capesize bulk carriers: MV Aghia Sofia, MV Lake Despina, MV Maria and MV Michalis H. Alfa Laval's deliveries for the vessels, which are each roughly 180,000 DWT in capacity, will extend from November 2022 to April 2023.
Dr Loukas Barmparis, President of Safe Bulkers, says:
"When we first made the choice to retrofit Alfa Laval PureSOx systems in 2018, we were convinced that it was a good investment. Today's increased price difference between low-sulphur and high-sulphur fuel shows that we were correct. We are protecting our margins in a time of uncertainty while simultaneously protecting the environment. Through comprehensive sampling of effluent wash water from open-loop scrubber systems, independent laboratories using EPA or ISO methods have shown that there is little or no impact from the wash water concentrations."
For Safe Bulkers, turning to Alfa Laval for additional scrubber systems was the natural choice. The previous PureSOx retrofit projects have all gone smoothly, and the systems themselves have lived up to the promised high performance.
Barmparis says:
"Retrofitting large equipment like a scrubber will always involve challenges. What makes the difference is the supplier's commitment to finding a solution. Having already done 21 retrofits with Alfa Laval, we can say with confidence that the cooperation works – just like the PureSOx technology. Both the support and the results are consistently excellent."
To take full advantage of the partnership, Safe Bulkers has an Alfa Laval Service Agreement in place for its PureSOx systems. Comprising spare parts packages, sensor exchanges, connectivity and more, the agreement will now be expanded to cover the additional vessels.
Barmparis concludes:
"We take no chances with our compliance at Safe Bulkers. Service is an important safeguard, and we know that we can rely on Alfa Laval's expertise. The support we receive means that we can always be certain of fulfilling our obligations."
