IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee's recent (MEPC), 65th session, agreed a draft amendment on implementation date for Tier III engines.
MEPC considered and agreed to proposed draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI regulation 13 on Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), to amend the date for the implementation of “Tier III” standards within emission control areas (ECAs) to 1 January 2021, from the current effective date of 1 January 2016. The draft amendments will be circulated for consideration at MEPC 66 in 2014, with a view to adoption.
NOx control requirements apply to installed marine diesel engines of over 130 kW output power, and different levels (Tiers) of control apply based on the ship construction date. Tier III controls apply only to specified ships while operating in ECAs designated to limit NOx emissions (currently the North American Emission Control Area and the United States Caribbean Sea Area). Outside such areas, “Tier II” controls apply.