Latest data from Clarkson Research Services shows that the top 14 yards handling the most amount of scrubber retrofits are all Chinese, and reports of growing delays in getting the exhaust gas cleaning systems installed in funnels are correct.

Since the start of 2018, Clarkson’s count of scrubber installations (fitted, newbuilding and retrofit pending) has increased from around 400 to approximately 4,000 vessels, with 15% of global fleet capacity expected to be scrubber-fitted by end 2020

On an annual ised basis, approximately 1% of capacity in the major fleets would be off hire across 2019 (crude tankers 1.2%, containerships 1.1%, bulkers 1%). However, as expected, activity has ramped up in recent weeks, with Clarkson noting off-hire time is largest in the crude tanker fleet: 10m dwt and approaching 2.5% of the fleet.

Chinese yards dominate the retrofitting activity. The most active non-Chinese yards are Sefine in Turkey and Sembcorp in Singapore, ranking 15 and 16.

The average time of retrofitting is taking longer and longer as the queue of ships lengthens.