By Karen Robes Meeks
Honolulu-based Matson, Inc. announced Monday that it has started installing new exhaust gas cleaning systems on six vessels deployed in its Hawaii and China-Long Beach Express services.
The installation is part of an effort to curb fleet emissions and be compliant with new International Maritime Organization regulations set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
Half of the vessels will get the new equipment this year, while the other three will receive the new scrubbers in 2020.
To meet the new standards, Matson is addressing the issue in two major ways: replacing older ships with new ones that can run on new low-sulfur fuels or LNG, and using exhaust gas cleaning systems, or "scrubbers," to lower the impact of higher sulfur fuels.
"Because of unpredictability in the way fuel markets may develop over the next few years, Matson's IMO compliance strategy retains the flexibility to implement the most economical solution as conditions evolve," said John Lauer, senior vice president and chief commercial officer.
