With another earnings season set to kick off later this month, as ever some shipowners and their investors will have more to look forward to than others. But regardless of the operating sector, those who have equipped their fleets with exhaust gas scrubbers will stride into earnings season with a little extra bounce in their step.

Amid much sound and fury over the environmental aspects of complying with the IMO 2020 sulphur-cap regulations, shipowners had a stark choice to make ahead of January 2020.