EPA’s Vessel Emission 

Control Program

Mike Samulski

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

September 30, 2009

Sustainable Shipping
Overview

 Sustainable Must Mean Healthy Air

 Regulatory Roadmap

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 Coordinated Strategy

 Impacts
Sustainable Must Mean Healthy Air:

U.S. Ports and Nonattainment Areas

• More than 40 major ports are located in PM2.5 or ozone nonattainment areas

• About 88 million people live in 39 areas that do not meet the PM2.5 NAAQS or 

that contribute to violations in other counties

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EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign

Regulatory Roadmap

Tier 2 Light-Duty

final rule 1999

fully phased in 2009

Diesels held to same stringent 

standards as gasoline vehicles

Heavy-Duty Highway

sales 800,000 / yr

40B gallons / yr

These standard-setting rulemakings 

are key enablers for collaborative 

partnerships with industry and 

state & local governments

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Nonroad Diesel

sales over 650,000 / yr

12B gallons / yr

final rule 2004

fully phased in 2015

40B gallons / yr

final rule 2000

fully phased in 2010

Locomotive/Marine

sales 40,000 marine engines,

1,000 locomotives / yr

6B gallons / yr

final rule 2008

fully phased in 2017

Note: sales and diesel fuel 

usage vary year-to-year; 

these figures are for 

comparison purposes only

Ocean Going Vessels

CAA Rule Dec 2009

IMO MARPOL Annex VI

ECA Controls

- Fuel Based 2015

- SCR Catalyst Based 2016
Ship Contribution to U.S. PM Inventory

2009 Mobile Source PM2.5 Inventory

Other NR

14%

Diesel NR

28%

Diesel Marine <30 

l/cyl

7%

2030 Mobile Source PM2.5 Inventory

Aircraft

Locomotive

0%

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Source of inventory estimates: C3 Marine NPRM (July, 2009)

Does not reflect IMO MARPOL Annex VI Amendments (October 2008)

Highway

24%

OGV Marine

17%

Locomotive

6%

Aircraft

4%

OGV Marine

48%

Aircraft

7%

Diesel NR

5%

Other NR

15%

Highway

20%

Diesel Marine <30 

l/cyl

3%

0%
Coordinated Strategy

U.S. Domestic

Rulemaking

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U.S./Canada/France

ECA Proposal

Global Annex VI

Standards
U.S. Domestic Rulemaking

 Rulemaking timing

 Proposal was signed on June 26, 2009

 Final Rule deadline of December 17, 2009

 New engine standards

 Tier 2 and 3 NOx limits for U.S. vessels harmonized with MARPOL 

Annex VI

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 HC and CO cap standards for U.S. vessels

 New fuel sales standards

 0.1%S fuel limit for use in ECAs

 Allow for 0.1%S distillate sales, in U.S., for marine use

 Adopt Annex VI implementation regulations for all vessels 

operating in U.S. waters
Voluntary Programs

 Clean Ports USA Program

 working with port authorities, terminal operators, shipping, 

truck and rail companies

 promote cleaner diesel technologies and strategies through 

education, incentives, and financial assistance for diesel 

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emissions reductions at ports

 voluntary diesel retrofit verification program

 In NPRM, we requested comment on a Voluntary 

Marine Verification Program for existing vessels

 extend our existing diesel retrofit verification program to 

these largest marine vessels 
New Annex VI Amendments

 October 2008 Annex VI amendments approved

 Global NOx Controls

 Tier 2: 20% reduction from new vessels (2011)

 Existing engine standards

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 Global PM and SOx controls

 2012: 3.5% fuel sulfur

 2020: 0.5% fuel sulfur

 Could be delayed to 2025; subject to 2018 fuel availability review

 A country (or countries) can propose to designate an 

Emission Control Area (ECA), where more stringent 

standards apply
Emission Control Area

 On March 27, 2009, we submitted a joint 

U.S./Canada proposal for ECA designation

 This was approved, in principle, at MEPC 59 (July 2009)

 Expect adoption at MEPC 60 (March 2010)

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 ECA NOx Controls

 Tier 3 NOx 80% reduction new vessels (2016)

 ECA PM and SOx Controls

 1.0% Fuel Sulfur (2010-2014)

 0.1% Fuel Sulfur 2015+

 Up to 96% reduction in SOx

 ~85% reduction in PM
U.S./Canada ECA Proposal

Canada

Alaska (U.S.)

Greenland

(Denmark)

60° 70°

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United States (48 states)

Mexico

Saint-Pierre

& Miquelon

Hawaii (U.S.)

160° 140° 120° 100° 80° 60°

20° 30° 40° 50°

Bahamas
For Comparison: Impact of New Locomotive and 

Marine Diesel Engine Rule on PM2.5 levels in 2020

ug/m3

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2020 Potential ECA PM2.5 Reductions

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2020 Potential ECA Ozone Reductions

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Ozone (Smog) reductions from 

the proposed ECA reach well 

into the U.S. interior 14
Improvements 

in deposition 

for marine and 

2020 Potential Sulfur Deposition

Reductions

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%

for marine and 

terrestrial 

ecosystems
Benefits and Costs of the 

Coordinated Strategy

 The NPRM presents the benefits and costs of the 

coordinated strategy

 Engine and fuel requirements for U.S. and foreign vessels

 In 2030 the estimated benefits are between $110 and 

$280 billion

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 By 2030, the emission reductions associated with the 

coordinated strategy will annually prevent:

 Between 13,000 and 32,000 PM-related premature deaths

 Between 220 and 980 ozone-related premature deaths

 About 1,500,000 work days lost

 About 10,000,000 minor restricted-activity days

 The estimated costs are much smaller: $3.1 billion
Example Cost Scenario

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Distance in ECA

1,700 nm

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Increased operating costs in ECA only

For this scenario:

- 3% increase in operating costs

- $18/TEU
Impact Modeling

Health Effects

Modelling

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Emissions 

Inventory

Ecosystem

Results

Air Quality

Modelling
Low Sulfur Fuel Availability

 ECA volume will increase global distillate demand less than 0.9%

 U.S. used the Ensys WORLD model to estimate refinery capacity 

expansions & prices

 Same model used by Secretary General’s Expert Group Study

 Estimates a price spread between residual and distillate of $145/ton

 Total new investment 3 coking units, 3 hydrocrackers, and 2 

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 Total new investment 3 coking units, 3 hydrocrackers, and 2 

hydrotreaters

“Moreover, many investors, especially in the US and Europe, 

are deferring final decisions on major projects as they are 

being confronted with mixed, even confusing, signals from 

policy makers concerning the future demand levels for refinery 

products.”

- OPEC World Oil Outlook 2008 

 Timely approval of an ECA will provide certainty for refiners
Additional Information

 The NPRM, proposed ECA, and 

supporting information are available at:

 www.epa.gov/otaq/oceanvessels.htm

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 Contact: Michael Samulski

 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

 Samulski.Michael@epa.gov

 1 (734) 214-4532