New emissions standards regulations are being drawn up for large ocean-going vessels by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The standards would see the law amended to require ships with larger diesel engines, that is those with Category 3 engines, to employ low sulphur fuel and would require many vessels to be retro-fitted to comply with the change.

EPA officers will also recommend that the standards are adopted worldwide, a statement from the agency confirms.

Phasing in the regulations would take place in three stages, with the application of the standards to new Category 3 engines coming into service from 2011 representing the first step.

This is expected to see NOx emissions cut by between 15 per cent and 25 per cent.

The second phase, meanwhile, would see restrictions on new engines become more stringent, with ships compelled to use a catalytic converter to cut NOx emissions by 80 per cent or more from 2016.

Finally, the last stage will cover existing engines, with new NOx limits introduced to cut emissions by 20 per cent.

Source:

US pushes for tighter shipping pollution standards, 30/11/07
http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=13872&channel=2

EPA Seeks to Cut International Ship Emissions
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/a12221b01bfde09d852573a200688145?OpenDocument

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