A spike in shipowners turning to scrubbers is reducing the likely impact of slow steaming on the capesize market when new regulations kick in at the start of 2020, DNB Markets says.

The bank, which has raised its capesize rate forecasts for the next two years, believes the exhaust cleaning systems represent a good investment for shipowners.

DNB Markets analysts led by Nicolay Dyvik note 2,300 vessels globally are now likely to have scrubbers by 2020.