Ecospray, relayr team up on AI-driven smart scrubbers

Ecospray, an Italian company specializing in the research and development of systems for controlling air and gas emissions in industrial applications for the maritime industry, has partnered up with relayr, a Berlin-based industrial IoT company, to create new IoT-based desulphurization solutions or scrubbers.

As informed, the partnership between the duo will allow the creation of a new generation of emission control equipment — smart scrubbers managed using artificial intelligence, a completely new solution for the market.

Ecospray, which specializes in marine emission purification systems (EGCS), has been developing technological solutions for the maritime sector that can make the processes of reducing the pollutants in the gases produced by ships more efficient. The integrated technologies offered by the company aim at reducing emissions and saving fuel, leading ship owners on the path towards decarbonization of the sector and encouraging the use of clean energy.

Part of Carnival Group since 2013, the Italian company has continued to grow in recent years by increasingly specializing in offerings for the marine segment.

According to the company, the new IMO-compliant devices are not only an innovation that drives an environmentally intensive industry towards a more sustainable future but also an investment that will significantly reduce equipment-running costs for shipbuilders.

The integration of relayr’s IIoT and AI offering tailored to the devices allows to guarantee constant compliance with IMO regulations for the containment of air pollution in the maritime environment.

Moreover, it allows significant savings in terms of performance and maintenance through remote monitoring and advanced life cycle analysis. The ability to constantly monitor and analyze the scrubbers’ performance ensures longer equipment life and fuel savings by optimizing pumping operations while also allowing a significant reduction in operating costs.

“We are delighted to collaborate with a company like Ecospray, igniting together the digital transformation of the marine industry,” Josef Brunner, CEO of relayr, said.

 “This partnership allows us to enter a new market – bringing high added value with IIoT solutions, helping to exploit the full potential of the control systems machines, and ultimately contributing to the reduction of harmful gas emissions.”

“In the maritime industry, a fleet could include hundreds of ships, so the opportunities to build smart machines on such a large scale are literally endles,” Stefano Di Santo, CEO of Ecospray, commented.

The process of digitalization of equipment for gas emission control is only a first step towards a broader business transformation process for the Alessandria-based Ecospray. The visionary approach in collaboration with relayr ultimately envisages the adoption of the equipment as a service (EaaS) model. Unlike the traditional asset purchase model, EaaS is based on a pay-per-use offering, in which equipment is no longer purchased but provided in exchange for a usage fee.