IMO III regulations in effect since January 1 2021

Over the past two decades, the regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with regard to the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have become increasingly strict. This started with the so-called IMO Tier 1 regulation in 2000, and continued with IMO Tier II in 2011. IMO Tier III came into effect in 2016, but only in North American and Caribbean waters of the US. For the European market, Tier III regulations came into effect on January 1, 2021 in the Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in the North and Baltic Seas. This means that all ships with an engine power of more than 130 kilowatts must comply with IMO Tier III regulations.

What is IMO Tier III?

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulates the emission standards of diesel engines of more than 130 kilowatts. Engines that are only used in emergency situations are exempt. IMO Tier III only applies when operating within a NOx Emission Control Area. The Tier III regulations are in effect for North America and the NOx ECAs in the US Caribbean Sea for all ships built after January 1, 2016.

This requires various parties to stand up for this at least from January 2021 and even before that. Engine suppliers do this, for example, in combination with SCR technology (Selective Catalytic Reduction). They use newly designed SCR installations with the drive motors and generator sets that they use within the maritime sector, to reduce NOx and thus comply with IMO Tier III regulations.

Alara Lukagro & IMO Tier III

Alara Lukagro has already gained the first experience with these new regulations. Alara Lukagro equipped the first PON Power / Caterpillar’s IMO Tier III C9.3 generator sets for yacht building applications with soundproof enclosures , which also achieved a high noise reduction. In the design, extra ventilation is facilitated, in order to be able to dissipate the extra heat released from the SCR installation. In this way, Alara Lukagro offers help and advice to achieve a suitable IMO Tier III sound solution.

More information?

More information about this subject or about our enclosures that comply with the IMO Tier III regulations? Please feel free to contact us.