Stage V emission limits for engines used in inland waterway vessels

By: Jeroen Berger, August 18, 2017

The Stage V emission limits, adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in July 2016 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union as Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 in September 2016, will tighten restrictions on internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery like inland waterway vessels. For main and auxiliary engines with a reference power of less than 300 kW, the EU Stage V emission standards will enter into force on 1 January 2019. The implementation date for main and auxiliary engines with a reference power above 300 kW, is set for 1 January 2020. In this blog I will take a deep dive into the EU Stage V emission limits for internal combustion engines used in inland waterway vessels.

 

NRMM Stage V emission limits for inland waterway vessels

 

The European regulation 2016/1628 is effective for internal combustion engines installed in non-road mobile machinery like inland waterway vessels. The purpose of the so-called ‘Non Road Mobile Machinery’ (NRMM) regulation, is that the EU Stage V emission standards should lead to a decrease of the air emissions of the inland waterway transport.

 

The Stage V regulation calls for limit values for emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for internal combustion engines installed in inland waterway vessels. In order to ensure that emissions of ultrafine particulate pollutants (of size 0,1 μm and below) are regulated, a number-based approach has adopted to emissions of particulate pollutants, in addition to the mass-based approach which is currently used. Contrary to CCR-II, the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) are reduced by 70-84 percent and the particulate matter (PM) by 92,5 percent.

 

The European regulation 2016/1628 applies to new inland waterway vessel engines for new buildings, but also for conversion.

 

Inland waterway vessel engines for Stage V split up into categories

 

The Stage V emission limits for internal combustion engines installed in inland water vessels are split up into three categories: IWP, IWA and NRE.

 

Engine category IWP

Let’s begin with the first engine category: IWP. The engines exclusively for use in inland waterway vessels, for their direct or indirect propulsion, or intended for their direct or indirect propulsion, having a reference power that is greater than or equal to 19 kW belong to this category. See Figure 1 for the dates of application and Figure 2 for the Stage V emission standards.

 

Engine category IWA

Auxiliary engines exclusively for use in inland waterway vessels and having a reference power that is greater than or equal to 19 kW belong to engine category IWA. See Figure 3 for the dates of application and Figure 4 for the EU Stage V emission limits.

 

Engine category NRE

Engines for non-road mobile machinery intended and suited to move, or to be moved, by road or otherwise and are not made exclusively for use in inland waterway vessels, belong to engine category NRE. This type of engines should have a reference power of less than 560 kW and are in the place of Stage V engines of categories IWP and IWA. See Figure 5 for the dates of application and Figure 6 for the Stage V emission standards.

 

Solutions in development

 

How can we meet the Stage V emission limits for the engines installed in inland waterway vessels? For many ship owners and shipping companies this question has become more and more important. I have been doing some research and I have come to the following three solutions.

 

Solution 1 lies with the engine manufacturers

It is expected that some engine manufacturers will come with an overall solution: a combination with a diesel engine with after treatment, whereby the engine manufacturer is the responsible party. With this solution you will get from them a NRMM Stage V emission certificate on an ex-works basis, whereby you do not need to do some emission tests on board.

 

Solution 2 lies with the suppliers of after treatment

It is expected that some suppliers of SCR catalysts and diesel particulate filters will come with an overall solution: after treatment combined with a diesel engine, whereby the supplier of the SCR catalyst and diesel particulate filter (DPF) is the responsible party. With this solution you will get from them a NRMM Stage V emission certificate on an ex-works basis, whereby you do not need to do some emission tests on board.

 

Solution 3 lies with emissions measurement systems on board

Thanks to the Continuous On-Board Analysis and Diagnosis’ (COBALD) Green Deal it is expected that you can meet the Stage V emission limits with your existing diesel engine in the near future. For example, by adding an EU Stage V ready SCR catalyst and diesel particulate filter combined with an on board and real time emissions measurement system, whereby you can demonstrate the level of emissions.

 

Figure 1: dates of application of the Stage V emission limits for engine category IWP

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

Figure 2: Stage V emission limits for engine category IWP

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

Figure 3: dates of application of the Stage V emission limits for engine category IWA

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

Figure 4: Stage V emission limits for engine category IWA

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

Figure 5: dates of application of the Stage V emission limits for engine category NRE

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

Figure 6: Stage V emission limits for engine category NRE

Source: Official Journal of the European Union from regulation (EU) 2016/1628, 2016

 

In case you want to know more about the Stage V emission limits for engines used in inland waterway vessel, feel free to contact us. We will be pleased to advice you.

 

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