NO To Scrubbers

Release Date
17 October 2019

Contact Information
Hudson Shipping Lines
Matthew Taylor
+1 847-564-4660 x2123
mtaylor@hudsonshipping.com

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17 October 2019 – Hudson Shipping Lines is increasing its commitment to improving the health of the world’s oceans by announcing new support for an environmental organization that aligns with Hudson’s stance against scrubber systems. Hudson has agreed to provide support to the Environmental Protection Alliance (EPA) and its campaign to ban the use of scrubber systems in the shipping industry.

Hudson has previously announced its intentions to not utilize vessels with open or closed loop exhaust scrubbers installed following the implementation of the IMO2020 sulphur cap on January 1, 2020. Hudson is disappointed in its peers who have chosen to use the scrubber loophole and will continue burning high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO). Hudson notes that estimates indicate that about 15% of the world’s shipping fleet will be equipped with scrubbers.

As part of its efforts to convince countries, customers, producers and ports to ban exhaust gas scrubber systems, and encourage shipowners and the banks and financiers who finance their operation to cease their use and installation, Hudson will be providing support for the emerging and visionary EPA (environmentalprotectionalliance.org) in its current fight against scrubber systems.

With mounting scientific evidence of the environmental harm caused by scrubber systems dumping their toxic waste products into the marine environment and releasing chemicals that are harmful to human health into the air, Hudson is committed to ending the use of scrubber systems. The energy and efforts of the EPA in fighting the use of scrubbers have already attracted attention in the mainstream media and within the shipping community and Hudson will be providing the EPA with commercial, operational, and technical advice and support.

As noted by Hudson’s president Avi Eilon, “The spirit of the IMO’s sulphur rules are clear, HSFO has a profoundly negative affect on our environment and should no longer be used by the shipping industry. The current regulations allow vessels with scrubber systems to dump heavy metals and other chemicals into our oceans. This is simply transferring the pollution that was emitted by funnels to toxic wastewater being discharged into the ocean.”

In addition to its commitment to support the EPA, Hudson will be withdrawing its membership from the Trident Alliance due to the organization’s incompatible views with Hudson on the enforcement of the IMO rules.

“Hudson was disappointed to find that within days of Hudson’s membership into the alliance the Trident Alliance sought to immediately stifle Hudson’s stance against scrubber systems,” said company representative Benjamin Malkin. “We had hoped to join an organization with a true commitment to taking action on environmental issues. Hudson takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and is eager to pursue substantive action surrounding enforcement of IMO2020 sulphur regulations and other environmental issues as part of Hudson’s ongoing Green Initiative.”

Founded in 1972, and part of the Seatrade group since 1993, Hudson is a supply chain management company with an integrated global shipping portfolio utilizing some 70 dry bulk carriers. Hudson has offices in Australia, the Bahamas, Bulgaria, China, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. Hudson is an industry leader in utilizing sustainable shipping technologies and methods; forever seeking innovative ways to moderate its impact on the planet.

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