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Navigating the EU Stage V Emissions Standard: What Vessel Owners Need to Know
Wondering how to navigate the European Union (EU) Stage V emission standard for your inland waterway vessels? Caterpillar Marine has answers. Learn how to futureproof your fleet with fully integrated, type-approved solutions for the full power range of inland.
Q: How have emissions regulations evolved for maritime operators in Europe?
The EU Stage V emission standard for non-road mobile machinery impacts specific marine vessels.1 As inland waterway companies contemplate how to achieve their objectives with minimal impact to cost and operations, Caterpillar Marine is available to help vessel operators address their top questions as a type-approved EU Stage V engine solutions supplier.
Q: Are there time-sensitive factors that impact my fleet?
As of 2022, for diesel engines above 19 kilowatts (kW), only solutions that meet the EU Stage V emission standard can be installed in new builds or as part of repowered marine diesel engines.2 Government financial incentives are available in some countries — such as the Netherlands’ subsidy program which ends January 1, 20263 — that can help defray the cost of repowering. Such incentives encourage vessel owners to meet the Stage V emission standard before engines require an overhaul. The majority of European inland vessels are over 30 years old, indicating there are important considerations ahead for operators, shipbuilders and equipment providers as they seek to meet this requirement.
Q: What is the difference between EU Stage V “type approved” and “compliant”?
EU Stage V solutions can be either type approved or compliant, and there are stark differences between the two. By choosing type-approved solutions, a company can rely on factory certification to demonstrate EU Stage V compliance. In contrast, compliant offerings require a company to perform annual compliance checks. Caterpillar Marine provides fully integrated, type-approved EU Stage V solutions spanning the entire power range for inland shipping, which supports compliance efforts.
Q: Are there potential drawbacks to choosing aftermarket solutions from a third party rather than the engine supplier?
It’s important to consider how the engine and aftertreatment solutions function as a package. Effective communication and automated controls for the aftertreatment system and engine — such as those available with Cat® EU Stage V offerings — support a system optimized for fuel consumption, performance and total cost of ownership (TCO). If some selected solutions aren’t EU Stage V type approved, that can impact how a vessel owner demonstrates annual compliance.
Additionally, using multiple manufacturers can be time-consuming and significantly increase complexity compared to working with a single solutions provider, especially if a fleet has various power needs. If a problem occurs, it’s also more challenging to identify which component caused the issue. While it may be possible to cobble together a set of solutions from various suppliers, doing so may ultimately increase TCO because the components are not optimized to work as a system.
Q: How can I determine the best option to help futureproof my fleet?
Implementing type-approved EU Stage V solutions that satisfy the full range of inland power needs helps ensure vessel owners can meet the EU Stage V requirement. Additionally, employing biofuel-compatible technologies can help reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions4 and associated costs related to carbon emissions, such as the carbon tax through the European Emissions Trading System5. Depending on a vessel’s operational profile, as well as fuel cost and availability, various blends of diesel with biodiesel (also known as fatty acid methyl ester or FAME), renewable diesel (also known as hydrotreated vegetable oil or HVO) or methanol may be appropriate.
1. EUR-Lex.europa.eu. “Regulation (EU) 2016/1628 of the European Parliament”. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02016R1628-20220717
2. Pon-Cat.com. “Stage V Engines Inland Shipping”. https://content.pon-cat.com/en/caterpillar-eu-stage-v-total-solution
3. Pon-Cat.com. “Stage V Engines Inland Shipping”. https://content.pon-cat.com/en/caterpillar-eu-stage-v-total-solution
4. These fuels reduce lifecycle GHG emissions in the fuel value chain; GHG emissions at the tailpipe are essentially the same as with traditional fuels.
5. EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) – European Commission. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/eu-emissions-trading-system-eu-ets_en.
