Tag: Emission Control Areas (ECA)

Containership ECA Choices: LNG or Scrubbers?

Regulations for low- sulfur emissions may force cruise lines to avoid certain destinations

Uncertainty over fuels

New Report Shows a 91% Reduction in Excess Deaths from Ship Emissions under ECA

Greener fuels must be used near US and Canada

There are plans to convert its two ORCA Class Roll-On/Roll-Off ships In a ground-breaking move, Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE), Tacoma, WA, plans to convert its two ORCA Class Roll-On/Roll-Off ships to burn Liquefied Natural Gas, after receiving a permit from the U.S. Coast Guard providing a conditional waiver from the Emissions Control Area (ECA) fuel sulfur content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14.4.According to the company magazine, the engineering, design and installation of the engine kits and construction of the LNG plant to convert the two ships could cost $84 million and take up to five years."We have a conversion plan that will essentially overhaul the engines with no impacts to our service schedule. Most of the work will be done underway-it's going to be amazing to see," TOTE President John Parrot is quoted as saying.Artist's conception shown at top left from the company magazine shows the LNG fuel tanks on the ship's deck.The permit was issued by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) under authority provided in Regulation 3 of Annex VI.The North American Emissions Control Area (ECA) became enforceable on August 1. Ships that are subject to MARPOL operating in the ECA, which extends 200 nautical ...

Calculation tools to evaluate the most cost effective voyage track are also available Applied Weather Technology (AWT) has enhanced its BVS on board software to include Emission Control Areas (ECAs) and calculation tools to evaluate the most cost effective voyage track.Using the latest version of BVS, Masters are able to manage their voyage track by displaying ECA zones and making them 'no-go' areas. By doing this, they can see their voyage track outside and inside the ECA zones. Simply moving waypoints in BVS allows Masters to visualise the impact of time in the ECA zone and compare it to the overall effect of time en route, resulting in the Master having the information to sail the optimal route, AWT claimed."With BVS's ECA zone calculation tools, captains can make informed decisions about how much time to sail inside, or outside these zones," said Rich Brown, vice president of product management, AWT. "Our goal is to give captains and ship operators the data they need to manage voyage costs while complying with IMO regulations."On 1st August, 2012, North America Emissions Control Area (ECA) zones became enforceable. These ECA zones extend up to 200 miles from the US and Canadian coasts, including part ...

Stricter controls on emissions The North American Emission Control Area (ECA), under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), comes into effect from 1 August 2012, bringing in stricter controls on emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter for ships trading off the coasts of Canada, the United States and the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI (Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships) to establish the North American ECA entered into force on 1 August 2011, with a 12-month period before becoming effective. There are now three designated ECAs in effect globally, the other two being SOx ECAs in the Baltic Sea area and the North Sea area.A fourth area, the United States Caribbean Sea ECA, covering certain waters adjacent to the coasts of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, was designated under MARPOL amendments adopted in July 2011, with expected entry into force on 1 January 2013, with the new ECA taking effect 12 months later on 1 January 2014.Coordinates for the North American ECA Coordinates for the North American ECA can be found in Resolution MEPC.190(60)http://www.imo.org/blast/blastDataHelper.asp?data_id=28815&filename=190(60).pdf ECA emissions limitsWithin ECAS, ...

Transport Canada issues Ship Safety Bulletin Transport Canada issues a Ship Safety Bulletin regarding Canada's deferred enforcement of NA ECAThis provides guidance as to what will happen in Canada for the interim period that will run from August 1 until the publication of the regulations allowing for enforcement of the ECA, which is tentatively scheduled for November.Of significant commercial importance is the first full paragraph on page 3 which states: "In the event a vessel is found in the NA-ECA to have fuel onboard with sulphur content greater than 1%, Marine Safety Inspectors may verbally advise the Master of the pending air emissions standards and the fact that they will soon be enforceable." To view the Transport Canada Bulletin click hereSource: Transport Canada

Sulphur in fuel reminder for ships calling at the west coast of the US