Himalaya Shipping to fit scrubbers on 12 newbuilds

Himalaya Shipping, a Bermuda-based bulk carrier company, has decided to install scrubbers on the entire fleet of twelve vessels presently under construction at New Times Shipyard (NTS) in China.

The shipowner said that installation would be carried out within the previously agreed delivery schedule from the shipyard at ‘attractive prices and payment terms.’ Further details on the prices were not disclosed.

To remind, Himalaya Shipping has twelve LNG dual fuel Newcastlemax dry bulk carriers on order with delivery between Q2 2023 and Q4 2024.

“After installation of scrubbers, the ships will have the ability to be fuelled with LNG, LSFO or HSFO. This offers significantly increased flexibility for our customers and will be valuable in the ongoing employment discussions. Based on the current spot pricing of LSFO versus HFO in Singapore the scrubber investment is estimated to give a total benefit of $7,500/day when sailing, and based on our expected share of scrubber benefit the investment is expected to be paid back in less than 1.5 years,” the company said in a comment.

“The management and board would like to express their appreciation to NTS showing their willingness and ability to make alterations during the building process, underlining the excellent cooperation between builders and the company.”

The vessels will be fitted with ABB’s shaft generators with a power-take-off (PTO) solution, comprising new drive systems and permanent magnet technology.

The equipment is anticipated to improve the energy efficiency of the vessels by up to 4 percent while saving about 20 percent of space onboard compared to a conventional solution, according to ABB.

The ships will be fitted with MAN ME-GI high-pressure LNG dual-fuel engine, which in combination with in-line shaft generator the concept offers low methane slip.

The higher power density enabled by ABB’s solution is expected to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, so the ships’ energy systems could align with goals set out in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Carbon Intensity Index (CII), the firm stated.

Himalaya Shipping’s fleet is estimated to maintain A-rating throughout 2030 without technical improvements or speed reductions, as disclosed by the shipowner in a recent presentation.