MAERSKCONTAINERINDUSTRYOctober20,2014AirandRadiationDocketUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyMailCode6102T1200PennsylvaniaAve.NW.,Washington,DC20460Attention:DocketIDNo.EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0198CommentsregardingtheProposedRule-ProtectionofStratosphericOzone:ChangeofListingStatusforCertainSubstitutesundertheSignificantNewAlternativesPolicyProgram(SNAP).MaerskContainerIndustry,partoftheA.P.Meller-Maerskgroup,istheworld'snumbertwomanufacturerofintermodalrefrigeratedcontainers,akareefers.OurStarCoolunitsareomnipresentininternationalfoodtradeandarecurrentlythemostenergy-efficientrefrigeratingmachinesonthemarinecontainermarket,accordingtoindependentcustomertests.Furthermore,ourinsulationfoamingsolution,SuPoTec®,wasinventedandmarketedseveralyearsaheadoftheenactmentoftheEuropeanlegislationtoprotectthestratosphericozonelayer.AssolicitedbytheEPA,wearecommentingontheuseandviabilityoflow-GWPrefrigerants(includingR-744andHCs)inrefrigeratedtransport.MaerskContainerIndustrycommendstheUSadministrationforitsclimateactionplanandtherecentlyannouncedeffortstoreducetheemissionsofhydrofluorocarbons(HFCs).Ourcompanyhasalreadyinvestedconsiderableresourcesinfindingclimate-friendlyalternativestohigh-GWPcoolantssuchasR134a,whichiscurrentlyusedbyStarCool.Here'sarundownofMCI'sprogresssofar:1.OngoingresearchintothereplacementofHFCswithlowGWPrefrigerants,includinghydrocarbons(HCs):a.HCsandotherflammablesubstancescouldbesafelyusedasrefrigerantsinreefers,accordingtoMCIowncalculations,ongoingtestsandsimulations,aswellasariskassessmentforoperationledbyaclassificationsociety.b.ThesubstitutionofHFCrefrigerantswithHCswillreducethetotalGHGemissionsofareefermachinebyatleast15percentthroughoutitsservicelife.c.AgradualintroductionofHCrefrigerantsinthecurrentglobalmarinereeferfleetwillleadtoacumulativereductionofGHGemissionsbyapproximatelysixmilliontonnesC02eqintenyearscomparedtoR134a.Thisestimatetakesintoaccountbothemissionsandenergyusageofthecurrentreeferfleet.2.Continuingeffortsinthedevelopmentofsafereeferdesignwiththeapproach"assafeasbeforeorbetter''inalloperations.MaerskContainerIndustryASBjerndrupvej476360TinglevDenmarkPhone:+4573643400Fax:+4573643569www.maersk.comReg.No.:DK13823774Page:1/2MAERSKCONTAINERINDUSTRY3.Preparationofindustrysafetyguidelinesandfirststepstowardsthedevelopmentofaninternationalsafetystandardapplicabletoreefermachinesusingflammablefluidsorhighpressurerefrigerants(R744).Thisinitiativewillinvolvemajorstakeholdersintheintermodalreeferbusiness,includingmanufacturers,owners,shippinglines,leasingcompanies,insurancecompanies.Itsaimistoensureacommonandsustainableapproachtothesafeandenergy-efficientuseofalternativerefrigerantsduetoreplacethecurrentlymostprevalentHFCs,namelyR134aandR404A,inthefuture.MCIwholeheartedlysupportsallresearcheffortstolimittheuseofHFCs,andwebelievewewillbeabletomarketourownclimate-friendlysolutionin3-4years.Ourguidingphilosophyistodevelopatechnologythatenablestheindustrytomoveawayfromhigh-GWPrefrigerantssuchasR134awithoutsimultaneouslyincreasingsafetyrisksandGHGemissionsfromoperations.ThereforeourinterestisinthesafeuseofHCswithintheboundariesoffuturelegislation.Withthisinmind,MCIseekstopartnerwiththeUSAdministrationandregisterthesafeusageofHCsinreefercontainerrefrigerationsystemswithintheUSEPASNAPframework.Pleasedon'thesitatetocontactusifyouwouldlikemoreinformationaboutourdevelopmentofsafealternativestohigh-GWPrefrigerants.Wewillbehappytosubmitfurtherinformationatalaterstage.fteHeideGlobalHeadofResearchandDevelopmentMaerskContainerIndustryEmail:Directtelephone:Mobile:mhe@maerskbox.com(+45)73643512(+45)24232445MaerskContainerIndustryASBjerndrupvej476360TinglevDenmarkPhone:+4573643400Fax:+4573643569www.maersk.comReg.No.:DK13823774Page:2/2