A group of leading shipowners and charterers have formed a new scrubber advocacy group to help persuade the industry and the wider public of their value.

John Fredriksen, Idan Ofer and Star Bulk Carriers are among those backing Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) to support the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS).

The aim is to provide information and research data to "better inform industry, national and international authorities, non-governmental organisations and the public on the environmental performance and benefits" of open and closed-loop systems, together with associated air and water emissions.