Scrubber advocacy body Clean Shipping Alliance (CSA) 2020 has brought in bunker industry veteran Ian Adams as its executive director.
The organisation, formed by heavyweight shipowners last year, has also contracted Maritime AMC (MAMCL), a UK-based association management company to provide secretariat services.
Adams is the former chief executive of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA).
He said: “Good governance and secretariat services are essential to the success and effectiveness of any growing membership body.
"As such, we will work with CSA 2020’s officers to widely promote its mission and ensure that all industry stakeholders – flag states, non-governmental organisations, administrations and regulators – have a more balanced, informed view of the solutions available for complying with the introduction of the IMO Global Sulphur Cap in January 2020.”
Wading into the controversy over open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems, he added: “There has been a lot of loose speculation about the environmental benefits of these systems; conjecture that obscures the fact that exhaust gas cleaning systems have a very positive net environmental impact on the maritime environment.
“We are deeply concerned that decisions are being made without the benefit of existing academic studies and research or any knowledge of the performance of these systems,” he said.
"I am sure the early installers of scrubber technologies will at some point be considered visionary,” Adams added.
First gathering planned
A first general assembly will be held in February, at which a leadership team and officers will be formally elected.
More than 30 shipowning companies are now part of CSA 2020.
It was formed to provide scientific-based information and research on the emissions abatement performance and environmental benefits of closed- and open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems.
Founding members included John Fredriksen's Frontline and Golden Ocean, Idan Ofer's Eastern Pacific Shipping and Navig8.
The list also features Carnival and Safe Bulkers, which are going big on scrubbers for their fleet.
Charterers Cargill and Trafigura are also backing the alliance, together with tanker owners Torm, Hunter Group, Okeanis Eco Tankers and DHT.
Other names include Blystad Group, Eagle Bulk, Oldendorff Carriers, Grimaldi Group and Spliethoff.
