Dr Loukas Barmparis, president of Safe Bulkers. “We are protecting our margins in a time of uncertainty while simultaneously protecting the environment.”
In latest years, NYSE-listed Safe Bulkers Inc. has retrofitted Alfa Laval PureSOx exhaust fuel cleansing techniques on 20 of its bulk carriers. It lately put in its twenty first PureSOx scrubber, and 4 extra retrofits are scheduled by means of the primary half of 2023. All will likely be protected with a complete Alfa Laval Service Agreement.
The most up-to-date retrofit was of an open-loop PureSOx system on the MV Pelopidas. Safe Bulkers will retrofit equal techniques on 4 Capesize bulk carriers: MV Aghia Sofia, MV Lake Despina, MV Maria and MV Michalis H.
“When we first made the choice to retrofit Alfa Laval PureSOx systems in 2018, we were convinced that it was a good investment,” says Dr Loukas Barmparis, President of Safe Bulkers. “Today’s increased price difference between low-sulfur and high-sulfur 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.”
Alfa Laval’s deliveries for the vessels, that are every roughly 180,000 DWT in capability, will prolong from November 2022 to April 2023.
Safe Bulkers’ earlier PureSOx retrofit tasks have all gone easily, and the techniques themselves have lived as much as the promised excessive efficiency.
“Retrofitting large equipment like a scrubber will always involve challenges,” says Barmparis. “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.”
Safe Bulkers has an Alfa Laval Service Agreement in place for its PureSOx techniques. Covering spare elements packages, sensor exchanges, connectivity and extra, the settlement will now be expanded to cowl the extra vessels.
“We take no chances with our compliance at Safe Bulkers,” Barmparis says. “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.”
