INTERPRETATIONS OF, AND AMENDMENTS TO, MARPOL AND RELATED INSTRUMENTS

Proposal to Designate an Emission Control Area for Nitrogen Oxides, Sulphur Oxides and Particulate Matter

Submitted by the United States and Canada

Executive summary:
This document sets forth a proposal to designate as an Emission Control Area specific portions of the coastal waters of the United States and Canada, in accordance with regulations 13 and 14 and Appendix III of MARPOL Annex VI.
This proposal shows that the designation of this Emission Control Area is supported by a demonstrated need to prevent, reduce and control emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, and particulate matter from ships. Moreover, adoption of the proposed Emission Control Area will result in significant reductions in ambient levels of air pollution in the United States and Canada, which will achieve substantial benefits to human health and the environment.
The United States and Canada invite the Committee to review this proposal at this session with a view toward the adoption by the Parties to MARPOL Annex VI, at MEPC 60, of amendments to Regulations 13.6 and 14.3 designating a new Emission Control Area.

Related documents: 
Revised MARPOL Annex VI and MEPC 59/INF.8

2009 GUIDELINES FOR EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,

RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution,

RECALLING ALSO that MARPOL Annex VI entered into force on 19 May 2005,

RECALLING FURTHER resolution MEPC.170(57) by which the Committee adopted the Guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning system,

NOTING that the revised MARPOL Annex VI was adopted by resolution MEPC.176(58) which is expected to enter into force on 1 July 2010,

NOTING ALSO that regulation 4 of the revised MARPOL Annex VI allows the use of an alternative compliance methods at least as effective in terms of emission reductions as that required by the revised MARPOL Annex VI, including any of the standards set forth in regulation 14, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization,

RECOGNIZING the need to revise the Guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning systems, in accordance with provisions of the revised MARPOL Annex VI,

HAVING CONSIDERED the 2009 Guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning systems prepared by the Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases at its thirteenth session,

1. ADOPTS the 2009 Guidelines for exhaust gas cleaning systems, as set out in the Annex to this resolution;
2. INVITES Governments to apply the 2009 Guidelines from 1 July 2010;
3. URGES Administrations to provide for collection of data under Appendix III; and
4. REVOKES the Guidelines adopted by resolution MEPC.170(57) as from 1 July 2010.

Summary: 

The purpose of these Guidelines is to specify the requirements for the testing, survey certification and verification of exhaust gas cleaning (EGC) systems under regulation 4 to ensure that they provide effective equivalence to requirements of regulations 14.1 and 14.4 of Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee, at its fifty-third session (July 2005),
approved the Interim Guidelines for Voluntary Ship CO2 Emission Indexing for Use in Trials, and requested the Secretariat to issue the Interim Guidelines by an MEPC Circular (MEPC 53/24, paragraph 4.55.1).

Summary:
In 1997 IMO adopted a resolution on CO2 emissions from ships1. This resolution invites the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to consider what CO2 reduction strategies would be feasible for ships.
IMO Assembly further adopted resolution A.963(23) on IMO policies and practices related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, which requests the MEPC to develop a greenhouse gas emission index for ships, and guidelines for application of that index.
This document constitutes the guidelines for the application of an IMO CO2 emissions index for ships. It sets out:
• what the objectives of the IMO CO2 emissions index are,
• how a ship’s CO2 performance should be measured, and
• how the index could be used to promote low-emission shipping, in order to help limit the impact of shipping on global climate change.

The handbook is how the land based ‘spotters’ record smoke emissions from ships in California. This principle is used throughout the United States.

It’s a great read and very useful when explaining the benefits of Emsys with integral PM/Dust Monitoring.

The applicable rule is the ‘Three Minute Rule’. This is based on emitting Black smoke, over 20% Opacity, for an average of 3 minutes or more in any one hour period, please see the attached regulatory document from the South Coast Air Quality Management Board (AQMB)in California. Other local ports and regions have similar regulations.

Typical fines can be $25K - $50K. Larger ship operators have told us they were fined in this magnitude.

Emsys will probably not eliminate the fine, but accurate record keeping of the actual smoke emissions may mitigate the level of the fine down to a fraction of the original.

Emsys can also alert vessels staff when smoke levels increase as most diesel engines do not have smoke monitors installed. (only sometimes on boilers)

Emsys is the only system to incorporate PM measurement ‘Outside the Stack’. This means only one sensor for up to 10 stacks. Other suppliers place a sensor in each stack, which will require cleaning often resulting in higher equipment and installation costs, and more maintenance efforts from the vessels crew.