EPA To Require Ships To Use Low-Sulfur Diesel

In 2004, the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency developed  a program entitled the Smartway program. This program is directed towards bus and trucking companies in order to have them change to clean diesel and upgrade their systems. The program gives loans to such companies, and in 2009 $20 million has be doled out.

A recent announcement by the EPA regarding ships has caused many to urge such a program be created for ships to convert to low-sulfur diesel. The new regulations will require all ships which operate in inland and coastal waters to use low-sulfur diesel. The freighters will have to decrease their sulfur emissions to 1,000 parts per million in the next five years.

The usual diesel fuel used by freighters emits upwards of 27,000 parts per million of sulfur. The fuel used by the freighters is often referred to as bunker oil and is well known for being an extremely hazardous form of fuel. The EPA has determined that anywhere between 13,000 to 33,000 people in the USA die due to the fuels each year. The sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide and particulates the fuel emits cause illnesses leading to the deaths.

Many in the business of shipping are concerned about the costs of the new regulations. Some individuals believe it will drastically increase operation costs. The president of the Lake Carriers Association, Jim Weakly, indicated the fuel standards will add $210 million in costs.

Another point of controversy regarding the new regulations is the exemption of thirteen steamships which operate in the Great Lakes. According to the EPA, they exempted the ships because they are unable to be converted to use low-sulfur diesel. The EPA also noted that the 13 ships account for no more than 0.5 percent of particulate emissions in the USA.