BMF Brings Success to the Marine Industry with new MARPOL Exemption
Published on 23/8/2012
The British Marine Federation (BMF) is pleased to announce that after extensive lobbying the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have agreed to the inclusion of charter vessels with a length of less than 24 metres in the exemption to MARPOL (Marine Pollution) Annex VI requirements.
The marine industry looked towards the BMF to champion their cause and safeguard UK boat manufacturers, the supporting supply chain and charter sector. Working over the last 12 months with industry representatives and the MCA; the BMF was able to propose changes to the definitions of ‘recreational purposes’ within the scope of MARPOL.
On Friday 17August the MCA confirmed the exemption changes outlined in the BMF’s detailed analysis of the issues surrounding NOx Technical Code.
Of particular interest to the Charter industry within the UK, this exemption will mean that vessels under 24 meters will not need to comply with the revision of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission requirements, due to come into effect in 2016.
Under the original revision, engines of 130kW or more, installed on a ship constructed on or after 1 January 2016 that is engaged in commercial activity would have been forced to comply with the stringent requirements. These requirements state that NOx emissions will be limited to below 2.0 g/kWh compared to the current level of 7.7 g/kWh, when operating within the Emission Control Areas (ECA) that currently include the North Sea.
Given the technology currently available many vessels were likely to have been forced to install Selective Catalytic Reduction units to meet the requirements, with their associated impact of costs, weight and on board space implications.
Ben Geary, Sunseeker’s Senior Compliance Engineer commented after the acceptance: “Sunseeker International Ltd appreciates and recognises the hard work and dedication that the BMF technical team have put in to getting this exemption paper agreed with the MCA. This has helped save what is a very large market to the UK Marine Industry.”
The BMF and MCA will now work together to draft a Marine Information Notice (MIN) that will confirm the exemption, much to the pleasure of many of the UKs leading boat manufacturers.