Reporter Xing Dan

On June 8, 2015, the Ministry of Environment Protection issued notice seeking publicly for the second time the opinions of the society about the “Ship's Engine Exhaust Pollutant Emission Limits and Measurement Methods” (the first and second phase in China). If the new standard is officially issued and implemented, it will be the first time for China to issue the national standard of atmospheric pollutant emission control of ships.

In fact, as early as July 7, 2014, the Ministry of Environment Protection released the first draft to the public to seek comments, the standard drafting group improved the content according to the feedback.Compared with the first draft, the second draft has the major changes including the adjustment of regulations on the use of marine fuel; easing the type and scope of the marine fuel by allowing ships to use marine fuel oil which conforms to sulfur content stipulation and gas fuel etc. Rather than only ordinary diesel; the adjustment of recreational boat machine durability requirements;increasing gas fuel test method and calculation; adding requirements of allowing exemption of the ship machine;adding the requirements of age limit of the durability,etc. In view of the high social attention the standard has attracted, the standard is released again to the society to seek public comments.

The new standard is the first national standard of ship air pollution emission control, andit will be implemented in two stages. The first phase is equal to thesecond phase of emission control level of automotive engine and non-road engine, compared with the current marine engine emission status in China, PM emissions would be cut by about 70%, NOx emissions would be cut by more than 20%; the second phase is equal to the third phase emission control level ofcar engine and non-road emission, PM and NOXwill be further reduced by 40% and 40% respectively on the basis of the first stage.

Compared with the developed countries, the first stage is equal to the standard currently implemented in Europe, and the second stage is equal to the standard implemented in the third stage in America. The standard also stipulates on the emission durability requirements.General ships (except for entertainment ships) shall meet emission standard requirements within 10,000 hours or 10 years.

Although marine atmospheric emission standard policy is being gradually improved, but it is not enough, the industry has also proposed a series of atmospheric pollution prevention and control measures, such as the use of shore power by anchored ships. The use of clean fuel is also an important way to reduce emissions. The application of natural gas fuel technology has been attracting more and more focus in recent years.

On September 1, 2013, China Classification Society issued “Rules for Natural Gas Fueled Ships”. Marine engine can use single gas fuel (natural gas) or dual fuel(natural gas and fuel oil). Compared to fuel oil, NOXand SOXemission of natural gas has been greatly reduced and is an ideal green energy.