U.S. EPA punts on strict 'category 3' ocean vessel regulations until 2007

Diesel Fuel News, Feb 3, 2003

Rather than mandating stricter emissions levels or cleaner fuels (compared to relatively weak International Maritime Organization (IMO) "Marpol Annex 6" world ship emissions limits), or imposing new limits on foreign-flag ships, EPA last week decided to postpone any tougher marine regulations until at least April 2007.

The new "Tier 1" EPA limits (taking effect in 2004) basically copy the yet-to-be enforced IMO limits on nitrogen oxides (NOx) on engines of more than 30 liters per cylinder -- but most new ships built since 2000 meet these NOx limits under voluntary agreements anyway. EPA says it will "investigate" a 1.5% fuel sulfur limit once Annex 6 takes effect, since IMO allows "sulfur emission control areas" (SEGA) with lower-sulfur bunker fuel. EPA also says it will "consider" a tougher marine distillate fuel sulfur limit on ships operating near U.S. ports, no matter what flag they're flying (see Diesel Fuel News 5/13/02, p7). "Gr een" group Bluewater Network claims the new EPA rule will "do virtually nothing to clean the air." The group claimed that oil tanker operators got U.S. President Bush to have "fossil politics trump the public interest." However, all ship operator associations (not just oil tankers) support IMO rather than nation-specific emissions standards.