Scrubbers can be paid off in less than two years and will be the technology of choice for ships on time charters running into the next decade, according to a study.

Alphatanker predicts that although only 1,550 scrubbers will be installed globally by the 1 January 2020 sulphur cap deadline, the pace of installation will be strong after that.

In a multi-client, 80-page study entitled Marine Fuel Outlook: Challenges and Opportunities, the analyst cites the $3,000-per-day saving for every $50-per-tonne increase in the price spread between marine gasoil (MGO) and heavy sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) for a VLCC.