Japan’s Hitachi Zosen Corporation has become the world’s first firm to receive first-time approval (FTA) for a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for marine engines from its licensor MAN Diesel & Turbo SE in the field of the design and manufacturing of marine diesel engines.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) proposed the standards on the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions during maritime transportation. In April 2014 The IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee adopted stringent Tier III controls which require an 80% reduction of NOx emissions from Tier I (17.0 g/kWh) to be effective within emission control areas (ECA) from 2016.
Hitachi Zosen in partnership with MAN embarked to develop a SCR system for marine engines using Hitachi Zosen’s proprietary NOx removal catalyst and system into test engine in 2009. In 2011 the SCR system was certified by NK (Japan Maritime Association) and fitted in a new vessel for in-service testing in November 2011.
The system uses high-pressure exhaust gas upstream of the turbocharger, which is high in density and requires only a low-capacity catalyst, allowing for a design less than half the size of conventional systems, according to Hitachi.
The FTA from MAN verified that Hitachi Zosen’s SCR system for marine engines is fully compliant with Tier III standards. Tier III NOx standards are applicable to new ships constructed on or after January 1, 2016. Since it takes at least one year to design a new ship, the demand for newbuilds with SCR is rising significantly.
Hitachi Zosen plans to build on the FTA and collaborate further with MAN to carry out aggressive order intake activities worldwide.
Press Release