The Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule aimed at reducing exhaust emissions from diesel-powered recreational boats.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association says the rule helps the marine industry avoid “a series of very detrimental after treatment catalyst-based standards.”
As originally proposed, the rule, “Control of Emissions of Air Pollution from Locomotive Engines and Marine Compression Ignition Engines Less Than 30 Liters Per Cylinder,” would have required U.S.-flagged recreational marine diesel-powered vessels with engines greater than 2000 kW to install catalyst after treatment systems.
“This rule had the potential to very severely impact recreational yacht builders,” said John McKnight, the NMMA director of environmental safety and compliance, in a statement. “Once a rule like this gets on the books and the technology is required, it could spread to all vessels operated within U.S. waters, regardless of horsepower or where the vessel is flagged.”
A diesel catalyst system requires urea, a chemical made from ammonia and carbon dioxide and low-sulfur fuel. Urea is not necessarily suitable for storage on a recreational yacht, nor is it widely available, according to McKnight. He says the lack of availability of urea ultra-low sulfur fuel in many foreign ports that luxury yachts frequent could have severely compromised the value of U.S.-flagged vessels.
“The major flaw in EPA's proposal was that the rule only applied to U.S. flagged vessels,” McKnight said. “We were able to convince the agency that the rule, as proposed, would only encourage more yacht owners to flag their vessels outside the U.S.”
In the final rule, the EPA exempted recreational yachts from Tier IV catalyst-based standards. The final rule instead requires engine manufacturers to meet the more stringent Tier III requirements; however, McKnight says this requirement will be transparent to yacht builders.
Despite this key regulatory accomplishment, McKnight warns yacht manufacturers to remain cautious.
The International Marine Organization's Marine Protection Committee released a proposal April 4 requiring aftertreatment on all recreational and commercial diesel marine engines greater than 750 hp. The NMMA is working with the ICOMIA Marine Engine Committee and the European Association of Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturers to oppose this proposal.
IMO would only require a recreational yacht traveling to ports within countries that signed a treaty with the organization to be equipped with aftertreatment; however, the significance of the proposal is that countries that have signed IMO treaties encompass a majority of the well-traveled world.
To date, the United States has not signed a treaty with IMO. If, however, the proposed IMO rule is finalized as is, the EPA is expected to move quickly to adopt aftertreatment standards.
For information about the latest EPA rule or the IMO proposal, contact John McKnight at (202) 737-9757 or jmcknight@nmma.org.
