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Japanese collaboration results in certification for SOx Scrubber system

Ambassador Diaz of Panama presents the certificate
Ambassador Diaz of Panama presents the certificate

The system removes sulfur oxides (SOx) from the exhaust gas emitted by marine diesel engines. The testing results have now verified that the system's effectiveness in curbing emissions of air pollutants complies with international regulations, and the system has been officially approved by the Republic of Panama, the country where the test ship is registered.

The test unit of the Hybrid SOx Scrubber System is the first installation of a system jointly developed by MHI and MKK specifically for marine applications. It is installed on "K" Line's DRIVE GREEN HIGHWAY, the large-scale car carrier with capacity for 7,500 -units. The system had been undergoing verification testing ever since the ship's delivery in February 2016 and the test results mark the first time Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Class NK) has satisfied international guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning systems . In response, Panama approved that the DRIVE GREEN HIGHWAY is equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system whose effectiveness has been substantiated, and on 11 January a certificate of compliance, the first awarded to a Panamanian ship as Japanese SOx Scrubber System, was conferred at the Embassy of Panama in Tokyo. The event has already been announced through the IMO website to its member nations.