| USA. Megayacht builders could be hard hit by EPA catalyst proposal |
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| Friday, 08 September 2006 | |
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NMMA news: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to propose a recreational marine diesel rule that could require large yacht builders to install exhaust after-treatment on all future yacht designs. Aware such a ruling may create problems for these manufacturers, EPA has asked the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to organize a task force that will further examine the issue. EPA has been working on a plan over the last several years that would require emission reductions on marine diesel engines. Earlier this year, an EPA diesel rule was implemented requiring diesel engines to meet stringent new emission standards, primarily necessitating electronic controls. The EPA is now considering its next generation of emission regulations, which would require all commercial marine diesel engines greater than 600kW (800hp) to achieve catalyst-based emission standards at some point around 2012. Under the new rules, commercial marine diesel engines less than 600 kW would be required to meet lower emission standards based on engine size. For recreational marine engines specifically, EPA recognizes space constraints would place too large a burden on the smaller, diesel-powered vessels such as cruisers and small yachts; but for larger yachts, EPA believes sufficient space exists to install catalysts, along with the support systems needed to accompany it. NMMA has raised serious concerns with EPA regarding the installation of catalyst systems on recreational vessels, in both written comments to an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and conversations with EPA staff. These concerns are partially related to space constraints associated with catalyst installation, but more importantly relate back to the relative un-availability of low sulfur fuel critical to the operation of catalyzed engines. “The U.S. is on schedule to have low sulfur fuel available (and required) around 2010; but unlike highway trucks, buses and locomotives, large yachts are not sold for exclusive operation in the United States,” says John McKnight, NMMA director of environmental safety and compliance. “Low sulfur fuel is not on tap to become the required norm in many other countries where yachts are sold. And without availability of the necessary fuel to power catalyzed engines, imposing a regulation such as the one EPA suggests is very problematic for large boatbuilders with international clientele.” Individuals interested in participating on the newly-formed NMMA catalyst task force should contact McKnight at jmcknight@nmma.org. |
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 08 September 2006 ) |
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