Image: Wartsila

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Technology group Wartsila is this week introducing its Voyage Emissions Reduction (VER) system as a means for increasing oil tanker revenues whilst also reducing bunker costs and emissions.

The system is said to effectively eliminate the problem of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from tankers during laden voyages.

VOC's are organic chemicals with a high vapour pressure resulting from their low boiling point, which leads to extensive evaporation. On average, an oil tanker will emit 0.085 percent of its contained cargo per each week. For a 320,000-deadweight-tonne (dwt) very large crude carrier (VLCC), this amounts to 270 tonnes of lost cargo per week.

The Wartsila VER system is being made available in two versions. The 'reabsorption' version is a plug-in system that re-circulates the VOC back to the cargo tanks. It represents a technology for eliminating cargo losses which operates automatically and without manual intervention. According to Wartsila, the system demands far less power to operate than available alternative systems.

The 'fuel' version, meanwhile, utilizes the VOC as fuel for the vessel. This is a new, patent-pending innovation from Wartsila designed to offer "significant" bunker cost-saving advantages.

Both versions promote environmental sustainability by reducing VOC emissions by up to 75 percent.

"Wartsila is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that reduce operating costs for owners, while at the same time contributing to a cleaner environment. The VER system follows this philosophy by eliminating cargo waste and optimally lowering tanker fuel costs, thus enabling a payback time that can be less than one year," explained Timo Koponen, Vice President, Flow and Gas Solutions, Wärtsilä Marine Solutions.

The Wartsila VER system is said to meet all the regulation 15 requirements of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) MARPOL Annex VI protocol, whilst also fulfilling port specific requirements for terminals with regards to VOC emission reductions.

The Wartsila VER system is being launched this week at the Marintec conference and exhibition in Shanghai from December 5 to 8.