Amid growing pressure on the global shipping industry to meet stringent emission standards, Guangdong COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry successfully completed its first scrubber retrofit project on March 7. This milestone achievement was marked by the successful sea trial of the Hong Kong-registered vessel Xin Hui , which passed inspection by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and officially set sail.
The Xin Hui , originally a wood chip carrier, boasts impressive specifications with an overall length of 215 meters, width of 37 meters, and deadweight tonnage of 54,686 tons. The retrofit project focused primarily on installing a scrubber system while conducting routine dry dock inspections, with the scrubber installation serving as the core component of the 25-day contract.
For this project, Guangdong COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry implemented a "Type I scrubber capable of dry combustion" provided by Peisen Environmental Technology. This retrofit not only enhanced the company's technical capabilities in marine exhaust gas cleaning systems but also strengthened its competitive position in the market.
The installation process involved multiple critical operations, including the integrated hoisting of a 63-ton scrubber with a new chimney, laying 5,000 meters of cables, and installing 2,000 meters of various pipelines. The project faced significant challenges due to seasonal spring rains in southern China, labor shortages, and logistical hurdles involving technology, customs clearance, and equipment transportation.
During sea trials, the vessel's main engine operated at 36MW. The project team conducted tests under various operating conditions according to the trial protocol. Under observation from shipowners and classification society surveyors, the engine load was gradually increased from minimum to maximum capacity. The test results proved exceptionally positive, with the sulfur-to-carbon ratio at the exhaust outlet reaching 7.2 under maximum load—far exceeding the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 0.5% sulfur content limit. Additional measurements showed a pH value of 6.0 at the water discharge outlet, a turbidity difference of 10 NTU between inlet and outlet, and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon differential of just 33 μg/L, all meeting IMO regulatory requirements.
This successful retrofit project represents a significant advancement for Guangdong COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry's ship repair business, establishing a solid foundation for compliance with increasingly stringent environmental regulations. The completion of this project demonstrates the company's technical expertise and market adaptability in ship repair and modification. Moving forward, Guangdong COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry remains committed to advancing green shipping initiatives and promoting sustainable development within the industry.
