Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage teams up with Verolme Special Equipment on scrubber maintenance

Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage (DSHV), part of the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group, has signed a joint partnership cooperation deal with compatriot equipment manufacturer Verolme Special Equipment for the provision of services to exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), widely known as scrubbers.

The agreement comes as a response to the increasing demand for availability of services for onboard scrubber installations – either in port or underway.

There has been a surge in appetite for scrubbers among owners as the solution for becoming compliant with the IMO 2020 Sulphur Cap, however, taking ships out of service for maintenance can be challenging for owners.

As such, onboard installations and maintenance are gaining in popularity, as they reduce downtime and enable for a seamless continuation of scheduled operations.

“With any new technology, there is always a learning curve, and this is also with the EGCS. There are potential problems due to vibrations in the new added steel structures and related. Additionally, the acidic nature of Sulphur can cause corrosion to the discharge piping, overboard pipes and scrubber system itself,” Jozeph W.D. Quak, Managing Director of Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage, explains.

Specifically, there has been a rise in scrubber corrosion cases over the recent period. Replacement by GRE pipe systems and installation of SMO on crucial locations give the solution, Quak said

“Many systems have been installed without proper material considerations and we see that (early) failure of parts and serious corrosion damage is not rare. The partnership between Damen Shiprepair Harbour & Voyage and Verolme Special Equipment provides a complete service for all problems that might occur,” he added.

The duo said that they are working with original equipment manufacturers of scrubbers and that they also have vast experience and know-how in exotic materials and all kinds of SS and GRE piping.

The partnership plans to provide 24/7 service around the globe with a lead time of max 24-hour notice, prior to attending of the vessel.