There is less than six months to go before a major change in emissions regulations has a considerable impact on tug and workboat design, construction and operation. From January 2021, IMO Tier III regulations for commercial vessels with diesel engines will come into force. This imposes rules on the emissions from diesel engines on vessels with a total power of more than 130 kW, and with their keel laying date after 1 January 2021. Vessels built after this date will need cleaner diesel engines and after treatment systems to minimise nitrogen, sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions. This could lead to a rush to order new tugs and workboats before that date if owners want to miss this restricting ruling. It is already in the minds of some tug and workboat builders as they produce vessels that can be retrofitted with emissions abatement technology. Read more at Riviera News
