The Fredriksen group is to install scrubbers on bulkers in its massive newbuilding programme.
Marius Hermansen, director at Fredriksen company Seatankers, confirmed the move.
The cost of installing scrubbers is expected to be between $2m and $5m per vessel.
Hermansen said it is likely that the group will also put scrubbers on its tankers, although nothing has yet been decided.
The group has a massive dry bulk newbuilding programme that now totals ships worth $590m, plus options.
Its plan is to transfer the contracts to Fredriksen’s publicly listed Golden Ocean Group, although the vessels could be used for asset play.
Seatankers has declared an option for two more newcastlemaxes at New Times Shipbuilding in China, and Hermansen says this pair will be delivered in the first quarter of 2020.
Seatankers already had a firm order for four newcastlemaxes at New Times scheduled for delivery in 2019, plus options for four more. The ships are reportedly costing $44.5m each.
The owner also has orders for four newcastlemaxes at Bohai Shipbuilding and six kamsarmaxes in China.
Arch-rival 2020 Bulkers, the over-the-counter-listed company, has also opted for scrubbers for its newcastlemax newbuildings.
That company, which was set up by Fredriksen’s former partner Tor Olav Troim, has ordered eight newbuildings — also at New Times.
They were ordered late last year for between $44.2m and $44.7m each — and 2020 Bulkers’ scrubbers cost an additional $2m to install.
