U.S. policy

Fuel quality requirements
In the coming years, fuel quality guidelines are set to become stricter. With the introduction of a maximum of 0.1 % S for fuel used at berth in the European Union and California, running auxiliary engines at berth will become more expensive, as use of HFO will no longer be possible.

Within the 24 nautical mile regulatory zone off the California coastline, fuel requirements are in force for ocean-going vessels with respect to their main (propulsion) diesel engines, auxiliary diesel engines and auxiliary boilers when operating.

Fuel requirement	Effective date	Fuel
Phase I	July 1, 2009	Marine gas oil at or below 1.5 % S or Marine Diesel oil at or below 0.5 % S
Phase II	January 1, 2012	Marine gas oil or Marine Diesel oil at or below 0.1 % S

Regulation of auxiliary engines of vessels at berth
There are presently no international requirements that would mandate or facilitate the use of OPS. In December 2007 the CARB approved a regulation to reduce emissions from diesel auxiliary engines on container ships, passenger ships, and refrigerated-cargo ships while berthed at a Californian port. The regulation provides vessel fleet operators visiting these ports two options to reduce at-berth emissions from auxiliary engines: 

1) Turn off auxiliary engines for most of a vessel's stay in port and connect the vessel to some other source of power, most likely grid-based shore power; or

2) Use alternative control techniques that achieve equivalent emission reductions. Examples include:

• Non-grid-based shore power (distributed generation equipment such as natural gas-fuelled engines);
• Emission controls installed on the ships (e.g. particulate control traps, selective catalytic reduction units and alternative fuels);
• Emission controls installed at the wharf (e.g. a bonnet emissions capture and treatment system see Baghouse System ).

The regulation applies to operators of container ship and refrigerated-cargo ship fleets whose ships cumulatively make 25 or more visits annually to one of the specified ports. It also applies to operators of passenger ship fleets whose ships cumulatively make five or more visits annually to one of these ports. Fleets whose ships cumulatively make less than the specified minimum annual visits to a port are not affected by the regulation.

For more information on the CARB regulations on Commercial Marine Vessels, click here.

CARB subsidy programme
The CARB runs a subsidy programme that supports investments for passenger ships and cargo ships. Click here for more information on the CARB policy.