PMSA has led efforts in the U.S. Congress, the California Legislature, and many local governments in support of the ratification of an international marine pollution treaty, MARPOL Annex VI that was granted the U.S. Senate’s advice and consent on April 7, 2006 but is not yet fully ratified by Congress. The international treaty is aimed at reducing air pollution from ships by setting enforceable international emissions standards for ocean-going vessels. The treaty also allows signatory nations to establish Sulfur Emission Control Areas, where cleaner fuels must be used by all ships operating in those areas. PMSA supports the creation of a North America Sulfur Emission Control Area to reduce air pollution at or near busy ports.  This is the fairest and most effective way to improve our coastal air quality.  Already, PMSA members have already begun implementing aspects of MARPOL Annex VI:

• Ships constructed since January 2000 are required to have compliant engines under the terms of MARPOL Annex VI.
• Many PMSA members already have policies to use fuels that are already significantly cleaner than the sulfur fuel content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI.
• Many PMSA members are already taking steps to exceed requirements of MARPOL Annex VI by retrofitting their vessels with cleaner technologies, including outfitting vessels capable of using shore-side electricity while in port, retrofitting vessels with emission reduction technologies, and purchasing vessel engines that exceed the international standards.

PMSA Hails EPA Support for International Emissions Standards
- Fastest Path to Emissions Progress -

June 28, 2007 Statement by John McLaurin, President, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association

“The U.S. EPA initiative to set international emissions standards for ocean-going vessels is a welcome step for all who are working to reduce worldwide maritime emissions.

“International standards for ship emissions ensure consistent application of the rules and meaningful reductions throughout the world which cannot be accomplished through patchwork local or state regulations.

“The draft EPA proposal exceeds the emission standards and requirements that have been proposed by the State of California and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The proposal would implement the most rigorous sulfur fuel requirements two years sooner, and extend those requirements to all coastal areas of the world and to greater distances offshore. The proposal also would set limits on oxides of nitrogen emissions from existing and future marine engines.

“Under the existing MARPOL Treaty, PMSA members have already taken numerous steps to reduce emissions. Some of these steps have included: ensuring that ships constructed since 2000 comply with the Treaty’s reduced emissions goals; using fuels that exceed the sulfur fuel content requirements of MARPOL Annex VI; retrofitting ships to use cleaner technologies such as shore-side electricity or advanced electronic engines; and testing and implementing new, innovative emission reducing technologies in vessels operating throughout the world and in the Ports of the West Coast of the United States.”

Key Facts Regarding the U.S. EPA Proposal

Under this measure regulations under MARPOL Annex VI will be developed to set:

1) Geographically-based particulate matter and SOx emission limits for all vessels within a certain distance from shore in some parts of the world, beginning in 2011. Those limits would be achieved through the use of low sulfur distillate fuel or exhaust gas cleaning technology.

2) Tier 2 NOx limits at 15 to 20 percent below current IMO limits, beginning in 2011, for new-built engines on board vessels powered by large displacement engines, approximately 30 liters or more in cylinder size.

3) Geographically-based Tier 3 NOx limits at 80 percent below the new Tier 2 NOx limits, beginning in 2016 for all new-built vessels powered by large displacement engines.

4) NOx limits for pre-2000 large displacement engines equal to a 20 percent reduction from the engine’s current NOx performance. This limit would apply to most two-stroke engines built since 1982, and most four-stroke engines built since 1992.