Starting 1 May, 2025, new emission regulations will impact the shipping industry. From that date, the International Maritime Organization requires all ships in the Mediterranean Sea to only use fuels that limit sulfur content to 0.1%. This creates a greater need for maritime solutions that are efficient, effective, and have strong sustainability credentials.
SOLVAir® Marine is an innovative sodium-based technology used as a dry exhaust gas treatment system for sulfur oxide (SOx) and particle removal. The innovative technology is based on a process pioneered by Solvay and relies on our 160-year history in sodium bicarbonate manufacture.
The SOLVAir® Marine cleaning system is an effective exhaust gas treatment, ideal for reducing emissions. The dry sorbent neutralizes SOx in the exhaust gas, meaning ship owners can comply with environmental regulations without having to switch to alternative and more expensive fuels.
Set sail with SOLVAir® Marine
The SOLVAir® Marine system is simple to install and maintain. Unlike wet scrubbers, it doesn’t require seawater to clean the exhaust gas. It works by injecting a sodium-based sorbent into the exhaust gas duct. Here, it neutralizes the SOx and removes 99% of particles from the fumes.
With SOLVAir® Marine, you don’t need to dry-dock. You can even install major parts of the system while the ship is cruising. That’s a big advantage because it saves time and money.
The SOLVAir® Marine system is typically delivered in two-to-three months. Once on board, installation takes just a few days, avoiding the need for dry docking. That means ships can keep operating without significant interruption: minimizing downtime and boosting revenue. And, with our extensive supply chain, we’re able to deliver the sodium sorbent even under the most challenging conditions.
SOLVAir® Marine is also easy to use, requiring little maintenance. Allowing ship crews to focus on their main tasks, rather than spend time on the system, this helps improve efficiency and keeps costs down.
The Piana: Reducing shipping emissions
Discover The Piana – the first ship with the SOLVAir® Marine exhaust cleaning system, developed by Solvay and our partner Andritz. The flagship vessel of ferry company La Méridionale, the Piana connects Corsica with mainland France. The ship, which was retrofitted in 2021 after six months of testing, reduces SOx and particles by more than 99%.
Supporting the marine sector into the future
It’s inevitable that the next few years will see more stringent environmental regulations. At Solvay, we’re here to help the marine industry comply with new emissions standards.
"As shipping experts will tell you, it's not a question of if further regulations will come in, it's a question of when.” - Thomas Bauer, SOLVAir® Marine global project director
By significantly reducing SOx emissions from ships, we’re also helping improve air quality around ports and in coastal areas. Contributing to a safer environment for those working in the marine sector, and for local communities.
To find out more about our work in this area, explore our whitepaper: The Impact of Increasingly Stringent Air Pollution Regulations on Maritime Exhaust Gas Treatment. The whitepaper gives valuable insight into upcoming changes to environmental legislation: explaining what to expect, how to prepare and where solutions like SOLVAir® Marine can help.
Bontrup: Cleaner, more efficient shipping
Find out how we helped Dutch shipping company Bontrup install SOLVAir® and SodaFlexx technology on two of its ships. The successful collaboration between Solvay and SodaFlexx drew on the two companies’ powerful combined expertise of dry exhaust gas cleaning systems. The solution was first installed on the Yeoman Bridge in 2021, followed by the Bontrup Amsterdam in 2022. In both cases, the system has proven efficient, cost-effective and able to reduce sulfur emissions.