Amendments to the NOx Technical Code

14 August 2017 |  C17034

IMO Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC), at its 69^th session approved amendments to the NOx Technical Code, requiring ships to record the operational compliance with NOx Tier III when entering and leaving ECA-NOx and testing requirements of gas-fuelled and dual fuel engines.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Flag Administrations | Surveyors

Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6 of the NOx Technical Code, were amended, including Appendices III-VIII related to the testing of gas-fuelled and dual fuel engines.

Record for operational compliance with NOx Tier III emission control areas (ECA)

Amendments to Regulation 13 of Annex VI to MARPOL have been adopted through MEPC.271(69), requiring ships installed with marine diesel engines which are certified to both Tier II and Tier III, or which are certified to Tier II only and operating in NOx ECA to record the operational status of the engines.

More specifically, it is required to record in the logbook the tier and on/off status of engines together with the date, time and position of the ship when entering and leaving an ECA-NOx, and when the on/off status changes within ECA.

Testing of gas-fuelled and dual fuel engines

As per MEPC.272(69), certification of gas fuelled and dual fuel engines is enabled, including revisions to the parent engine test report and test data form.

The amendments concerning the testing of gas-fuelled engines consist identification of a potential safety issues relating to the use of zirconium oxide analyzers.

Gas engines are subject to the same emissions certification as oil and dual fuel engines.  The amendments also include revisions to the parent engine test report and test data form.  Shipowners need to consider possible training that may be needed on how the NOx Technical Code relates to gas and dual fuel engines.

Also, a new paragraph 6.1.2 is implemented to the Code that includes a clarification on the status of “dual fuel engine”, helping with the implementation of the NOx Technical Code and engine certification.

Each marine diesel engine with a power output of more than 130 kW installed, or designed and intended for installation onboard on or after September 1, 2017 is subject to regulation 13 of Annex VI to MARPOL.

Act now

Owners/ Managers/ Operators are invited to take a note on above amendments and ensure compliance of their vessels prior September 01, 2017.

DBS Surveyors must ensure at the upcoming IAPP surveys (irrespective of scope) that ships falling under the applicability of this regulation comply with the amendments to the NOx Technical Code.