Keppel secures over 100 scrubber and BWTS Retrofit projects worth S$160M in 2019

Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) has clinched 104 scrubber and ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) retrofit orders worth a combined value of about S$160 million for the year-to-date. This brings the total number of retrofit projects secured to date to 108 scrubber and 97 BWTS projects.

With the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) 2020 regulation to cap the sulphur content of marine fuel at no more than 0.5%, and the standards set out by the Ballast Water Management Convention, there has been an increase in demand from ship owners for exhaust cleaning scrubber systems that limit sulphur emissions and BWTS system solutions.

Mr Chor How Jat, Managing Director (Conversions & Repairs) of Keppel O&M said, "Installation of scrubbers and BWTS can be highly complex and there has been strong demand worldwide to meet regulatory deadlines. Backed by extensive experience in conversion and retrofitting work, Keppel's ability to deliver quick, safe and reliable vessel turnarounds has made us an attractive choice for clients keen to meet their tight timelines.

"We completed Singapore's first scrubber installation last year in under 30 days and we were also the first shipyard in Singapore to successfully undertake a BWTS retrofit project back in 2013."

To expedite the retrofit process, Keppel conducts early customer engagement and preparation work, including the utilisation of 3D scanning technology, completion of detailed engineering, and prefabrication of modules before the vessel arrives, so that the vessel's time spent in the shipyard is minimised.

This article was originally published on Marine & Industrial Report newspaper Vol 42  No.1 Issue last February 29, 2020.