Gas Scrubber Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Product Type (Wet Scrubbers, Dry Scrubbers, Electrostatic Precipitators), By Material of Construction (Stainless Steel, Carbon Steel, Plastic, Others), By Application (Industrial Emission Control, Gas Cleaning and Purification, Particulate Matter Removal), By End-Use Industry (Oil and Gas, Chemical, Petrochemical, Power Generation, Food and Beverage, Marine, Others), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 6.26 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.72%
Fastest Growing Segment	Stainless Steel
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 9.25 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Gas Scrubber Market will grow from USD 6.26 Billion in 2025 to USD 9.25 Billion by 2031 at a 6.72% CAGR. Gas scrubbers are air pollution control devices utilized to remove particulate matter and noxious gases, such as sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, from industrial exhaust streams. The market is fundamentally supported by rigorous environmental regulations enforced by international bodies like the International Maritime Organization, which necessitate significant reductions in airborne emissions. This regulatory pressure compels heavy industries to integrate compliance technologies to adhere to global sustainability mandates. According to DNV, in 2024, exhaust gas cleaning systems were fitted on over 5,838 ships globally, illustrating the extensive adoption driven by these legal requirements.

A primary challenge impeding market expansion is the substantial capital expenditure required for system installation and the ongoing operational complexities. The financial burden is further agitated by the technical difficulty of disposing of hazardous wash water, particularly in regions with strict discharge prohibitions. These high costs and logistical hurdles can deter investment from smaller market participants, thereby limiting broader technology penetration.

Key Market Drivers

The enforcement of International Maritime Organization (IMO) sulfur cap regulations remains a primary catalyst for the Global Gas Scrubber Market, compelling shipowners to adopt exhaust gas cleaning systems as a cost-effective alternative to expensive low-sulfur fuels. This regulatory framework creates a distinct economic advantage for scrubber-equipped vessels, which can utilize lower-priced high-sulfur fuel oil while maintaining compliance with strict emission limits. The continued uptake is evident in the strategic fleet expansion of major carriers, who are prioritizing these retrofits to optimize operational expenses. According to Grupo Stier, in January 2025, the shipping line Evergreen increased the share of its fleet equipped with scrubber systems to over 90%, reflecting a strong corporate commitment to this technology for regulatory adherence and cost management.

Simultaneously, the implementation of stringent international industrial emission standards is propelling market growth across land-based applications, particularly in power generation and manufacturing. Governments globally are enforcing tighter limits on sulfur oxides and particulate matter, forcing facilities to integrate advanced gas cleaning infrastructure to avoid heavy penalties and meet sustainability targets. This push for environmental compliance is driving significant procurement activities; according to Valmet, in July 2025, the company secured a contract to deliver a biomass boiler and flue gas cleaning system to Saica Group in Spain, ensuring the facility meets rigorous environmental norms. The broader impact of these combined drivers is illustrated by the robust financial performance of key market players. According to Wärtsilä, in February 2025, the company reported a 14% increase in its total order intake for the full year 2024, reaching EUR 8,072 million, driven by the surging demand for decarbonization and emission control solutions.

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Key Market Challenges

The substantial capital expenditure required for system installation and the escalating operational complexities associated with hazardous wash water disposal constitute a significant barrier to the Global Gas Scrubber Market. These financial and technical hurdles are intensified by a rapidly expanding patchwork of environmental regulations that restrict the use of open-loop systems in key maritime regions. Shipowners are consequently deterred from investing in this technology, as the necessity to retrofit existing units to hybrid configurations or manage onboard waste containment erodes the projected return on investment and complicates global trade logistics.

This regulatory tightening directly hampers market growth by limiting the operational flexibility of scrubber-equipped vessels and increasing the total cost of ownership. According to NorthStandard, in June 2025, the OSPAR Commission finalized a decision to ban open-loop scrubber discharges across 15 member countries in the North-East Atlantic. This development forces operators in these high-traffic jurisdictions to incur additional costs for closed-loop conversions or compliant fuels, thereby diminishing the economic appeal of scrubbers and slowing their adoption rates among cost-sensitive market participants.

Key Market Trends

The convergence of gas scrubbing with carbon capture technologies represents a pivotal technical evolution in the market, moving beyond simple sulfur abatement to address holistic decarbonization goals. Manufacturers are increasingly designing "CCS-Ready" scrubbers that allow shipowners to install particulate and sulfur removal systems immediately while retaining the engineering flexibility to integrate carbon capture modules as the technology matures. This modular approach safeguards long-term asset value against tightening greenhouse gas regulations without requiring immediate, full-scale system replacement or prohibitive upfront costs. According to Wärtsilä, September 2024, in the 'Wärtsilä to future-proof container vessels with CCS-Ready scrubber technology' press release, the company secured an order to supply CCS-Ready scrubber systems for three container vessels owned by Leonhardt & Blumberg, enabling these ships to maintain current sulfur compliance while preparing for future carbon capture integration.

Simultaneously, there is a marked increase in the adoption of hybrid and closed-loop marine scrubbers as operators navigate the proliferating bans on open-loop wash water discharges in major ports and coastal zones. Unlike open-loop systems that discharge treated water back into the sea, hybrid variants offer the operational flexibility to switch to a closed-loop mode, retaining wash water onboard for safe disposal in controlled environments. This capability is becoming a critical procurement criterion for fleets operating in environmentally sensitive regions like the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to ensure uninterrupted trade access. Illustrating this shift, according to World Bunkering, December 2024, in the 'WB Q4 2024 - Scrubbers' report, Wärtsilä secured a contract to upgrade the exhaust treatment systems on four Color Line vessels to hybrid configurations, specifically to provide the closed-loop functionality required to meet these stricter environmental discharge standards.

Segmental Insights

The Stainless Steel segment is emerging as the fastest-growing category in the Global Gas Scrubber Market, fueled by its critical role in meeting rigorous environmental standards. As regulatory bodies like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) enforce stricter emission limits, industries require robust materials capable of withstanding the highly corrosive mixture of acidic exhaust gases and wash water. Stainless steel provides exceptional resistance to heat and chemical degradation, ensuring the longevity and reliability of scrubbing systems. This distinct advantage over alternative materials makes it the preferred choice for ensuring compliance and maintaining operational efficiency in aggressive industrial environments.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific leads the global gas scrubber market due to extensive industrial expansion across the manufacturing and power generation sectors. This regional dominance is primarily sustained by tightening environmental mandates from authorities such as the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in China and the Central Pollution Control Board in India. These institutions enforce strict emission standards to mitigate rising air pollution levels, compelling heavy industries to adopt efficient exhaust gas cleaning systems. Consequently, the continuous growth in infrastructure projects and energy demand further solidifies the position of Asia Pacific as the primary hub for gas scrubber adoption.

Recent Developments

• In December 2024, Ebara Corporation announced the launch of a new combustion-type exhaust gas abatement system, the LPCMN-type, designed specifically for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The new product was developed to efficiently detoxify hazardous process gases and minimize emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon oxides generated during semiconductor fabrication. The system featured high destruction efficiency for hard-to-decompose gases and was engineered to support the industry's growing need for environmentally compliant and energy-efficient production processes. The company scheduled the commencement of sales for this advanced abatement solution for January 2025, targeting semiconductor fabrication facilities globally.
• In November 2024, Langh Tech launched a new onboard carbon capture system and secured its first commercial order to install the technology on four bulk carriers. The Finnish green technology company collaborated with Damen Shipyards Group to supply the components for the vessels, which were also equipped with hybrid scrubbers. The new system was designed to capture carbon dioxide from the ship's exhaust gases using an alkali solution, which chemically bound the CO2 into a stable product. This integrated solution aimed to significantly reduce the vessels' carbon footprint while simultaneously addressing sulfur oxide emissions, demonstrating a practical step towards decarbonizing the maritime sector.
• In September 2024, Wärtsilä secured a contract to upgrade the exhaust gas cleaning systems on four vessels owned by the Norwegian ferry operator Color Line. The project involved retrofitting the existing open-loop scrubbers to hybrid systems, which enabled the vessels to switch between open and closed-loop operations. This flexibility allowed the ships to comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations, particularly regarding wash water discharge in sensitive coastal areas. The upgrade also included the installation of a dedicated water treatment unit to ensure that the wash water met all regulatory standards before being discharged, thereby future-proofing the fleet against evolving maritime rules.
• In February 2024, Manta Marine Technologies, formerly known as Yara Marine Technologies, officially unveiled its new brand identity and leadership team following its acquisition by Okapi Supply Trading Advisory. This strategic rebranding marked a significant milestone for the company as it transitioned under new ownership while maintaining its focus on green maritime solutions. The company announced that it would continue to expand its portfolio, which includes propulsion optimization systems and shore power installations, to assist the shipping industry in meeting strict greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The leadership team emphasized their commitment to providing efficient and effective technologies for sustainable vessel operations.

Key Market Players

• General Electric Company
• DuPont de Nemours, Inc
• Thermax Limited
• SUEZ SA
• FLSmidth A/S
• Elexon Limited
• ANDRITZ AG
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd
• Alstom SA
• Aerus LLC

By Product Type	By Material of Construction	By Application	By End-Use Industry	By Region
Wet Scrubbers Dry Scrubbers Electrostatic Precipitators	Stainless Steel Carbon Steel Plastic Others	Industrial Emission Control Gas Cleaning and Purification Particulate Matter Removal	Oil and Gas Chemical Petrochemical Power Generation Food and Beverage Marine Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Gas Scrubber Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Gas Scrubber Market , By Product Type:

• Wet Scrubbers
• Dry Scrubbers
• Electrostatic Precipitators

• Gas Scrubber Market , By Material of Construction:

• Stainless Steel
• Carbon Steel
• Plastic
• Others

• Gas Scrubber Market , By Application:

• Industrial Emission Control
• Gas Cleaning and Purification
• Particulate Matter Removal

• Gas Scrubber Market , By End-Use Industry:

• Oil and Gas
• Chemical
• Petrochemical
• Power Generation
• Food and Beverage
• Marine
• Others

• Gas Scrubber Market , By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE