The International Maritime Organization (IMO), through the «MARPOL73/78 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships» that came in effect in 2005, has set a maximum acceptable content of sulfur in fuel used by ships.
From July 2010 onwards, all ships operating in SECA (Sulfur Emission Control Area) are required to use fuel with the sulfur content of 1% or less and from 2015 onwards, they are also required to use fuel with the sulfur content of 0.1% or less. In addition, regulatory requirement of using fuels with the sulfur content of 0.5% or less in all oceans throughout the world, is set to be in effect in 2020.
To meet the requirements on the permitted sulfur levels in ships’ fuels, ships must use fuels with low sulfur content or be equipped with the desulfurization system equivalent to meet IMO, MARPOL 73/78 regulations. Low sulfur fuel is a viable option on a short-term basis but are too expensive to use which makes the flue gas desulfurization system combined with a continued use of existing high sulfur fuels an optimal alternative in terms of long-term operating costs while meeting environmental regulations.
Panasia is an established company, which manufactures ballast water treatment system, level instrument and SCR DeNOx system. Since 2012, it has developed Sox Scrubber system to meet upcoming emission control regulation. Based on DeNox and onshore scrubber technology, it has successfully launched its own Scrubber system called PaSOxTM Smart V2.0 y.
To comply with the IMO regulation, Panasia Co., Ltd located in Busan, Korea, developed and manufactured a Scrubber system.
Even though Panasia had only one ship track record until 2017, its technology has already been approved by their verification facility on their barge. The Company listened to and collected views from customers-shipowners who had already installed scrubber system with other manufacturers. PANASIA tested and studied why these kind of requests from shipowners were made and they developed and upgraded the solution in their system. The advantage of Panasia is from this. They are running their own scrubber system in their vessel and they are doing many tests with considering many factors which can make any influences in scrubber function.
The main concerns of scrubber are the following two:
Firstly, the corrosion issue of scrubber body. Even though many manufacturers are applying 6 Moly material in their system, the part of applied one is almost lower part of main scrubber body which containing scrubbing wash water before discharging. Other parts are sometimes combined with Super duplex and duplex. However, Panasia is keeping 6 Moly material (UNS code N08367) for whole scrubber body as well as pre-absorber which has function of cooling and PM removal).
Secondary, that Panasia is manufacturing water and gas monitoring system by themselves because their origin business since 1989 is level instrument.
With these key factors, Panasia has been awarded with 246 ships scrubber orders from clients around the world.
AFRAMAX TANKER SCRUBBER RETROFIT PROJECT SUCCESSFULLY BEEN COMPLETED
Regarding this concern, Panasia is proud to announce that the Aframax tanker scrubber retrofit project has been successfully completed.
Following the 2018 Posidonia exhibition, TMS group placed mega orders to Panasia and BPCO LTD for 95 scrubber retrofit Projects. As part of this order list, the 1st project was delivered to Nantong COSCO shipyard in China and they started to install scrubber unit in M/T Burri vessel managed by TMS tanker group. The installation job started on 10th of February 2019 and the functional test started on February 14th, combined with other installation.
Due to the ban of wash water discharge to the sea of open loop type scrubber by Chinese own regulation, actual performance test was done during on voyage from Shanghai to Dasan in Korea. In four days, Panasia proceeded their performance according to designed parameter and the CO2/SO2 ratio of exhaust gas was almost 0 value (standard should be less than 4.3 ratio according to regulation).
Mr. Robert Clarke, TMS tanker superintendent, was greatly satisfied with Panasia’s scrubber performance result and expressed the hope to be a stronger partner and to comply with upcoming regulation for remaining projects.
Almost every manufacturer faces certain problems when they launch their first project. There are many things to be amended and developed until stabilized stage. Due to this, many Greek shipowners were keeping an eye on M/T Burri result and this result will create confidence for the Panasia scrubber system to all shipowners, including the Greek ones.
BWTS OFFICIAL TYPE APPROVAL CERTIFICATE FROM USCG
On 14th of December 2018, Panasia received the BWTS official type approval certificate from USCG, which was considered a «hot potato» for the shipping market, overall. Their operating parameter described in the certificate is of a real satisfied value. Especially hold time one of main issue is described as 48hours with full flow rate. Even this value is regarded almost top position among approved UV system, they already finished 24hours hold time test with full flow rate and they will update this certificate in soon. Panasia will start installation with its own scrubber and BWTS together on April 2019 and this will be the first project in the world to install these environmental systems together.
Mr. Robert Sootae Lee, chairman of Panasia said that PANASIA is ready to comply to Sulphur cap 2020, BWT convention, USCG BW regulation and that they would like to be a reliable partner to global customers.
THE FUTURE
Panasia is expecting orders to come in from many shipowners and has already prepared production capacity to cover 350ships in a year. Until today, accumulated order volume of scrubber is 252 ships, so they are still available to produce scrubber for more than 100ships.
This year, Panasia celebrates its 30th anniversary and makes plans for its next 30 years.
* PANASIA Chairman