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As part of its drive to cut sulphur emissions from its fleet towards zero, Maersk Line has announced that it will test a new exhaust gas cleaning system.

"Sulphur is a major problem for our industry. We are concerned with the impact on public health, in particular for people living close to busy ports," said Jacob Sterling, Head of Climate and Environment, Maersk Line.

Maersk Line will test an advanced scrubbing system developed by BELCO and designed for installation at Maersk Line and Maersk Tankers vessels. The technology is said to be able to cut SOx emissions by more than 97%.

"We have been investigating SOx scrubber technologies for several years to find appropriate technology for installation on our ships. We are pleased with our partnership with BELCO® and trust it will bring us one step further in understanding our possibilities to improve environmental performance in a cost effective manner," said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, Head of Maersk Maritime Technology.

Maersk is investing $600,000 USD in the installation and operation of the scrubber. The system will be operational on container ship Maersk Taurus in 2012 and can be in use throughout the voyage if conditions are appropriate.

"Global sulphur legislation will kick in over the next few years so the more understanding we have on these systems, the better we are prepared to make smarter investment decisions sooner, when weighing our options against low sulphur fuels," said Maurice Meehan, Maersk Tankers' Sustainability Manager.

The scrubber is expected to cut SOx emissions significantly but the application also consumes energy.

"A system of this magnitude consumes energy and therefore increases CO2. We need to find the right balance between SOx cuts, CO2 increases and cost," said Cerup-Simonsen.

Maersk Line expects the new technology to complement the company’s operational measures, such as fuel switch implementations.

Maersk Line is the leading liner shipping company in the world serving customers all over the globe. The company's operations comprise more than 500 vessels, 17,000 employees, and 2 million containers spread across 135 countries.

To improve the air quality around ports, Maersk Line’s sustainability strategy pledges to reduce SOx emissions significantly with a drive towards ‘zero’. Maersk Line was the first carrier to voluntarily switch to low sulphur fuel in California in 2006. Maersk Line says it has so far cut its sulphur emissions by 80-95% in 17 ports globally.