Reducing harmful emissions
Inland shipping champions in making the most efficient use of non-renewable energy and producing very low levels of CO2. An important performance as transport in general is at the bottom of the climate class. The latest generation of ship engines and after treatment equipment can make a leap forward in the reduction of harmful emissions, NOx and fine dust. This is why INE actively campaigned for a rapid introduction of ultra-low sulphur fuel. Clean fuel becomes commonly available for the inland shipping market as of .....

Ultra-low sulphur fuel for inland shipping compulsory as of.....
The European Commission proposed new fuel standards for road, non-road machinery and inland ships. The new directive finally recognises that inland barges should not run on heavy marine fuels and introduces to bring down the sulphur levels to road fuel equivalent, to 10ppm. Further to this new EU law, bunker companies start making clean fuel available ahead of schedule. This is of major importance. In 2007, the EU research consortium CREATING concluded that the very first step leading to cleaner vessels is a fast introduction of 10ppm sulphur fuel.

Clean fuel for air quality and CO2 reduction
The rapid introduction of ultra-low sulphur fuel allows:
- a switch to new-generation, energy-efficient engines saving between 15-30% CO2;
- the installation of emission reduction devices cutting NOx and PM emissions by 85-95%.
Member States have adopted dedicated aid schemes to encourage shipowners to replace old engines and to install emission after treatment equipment as part of their strategy to curb air pollution. Ship operators who already installed new more energy-efficient engines will no longer face engine damage and invalid warranties because there was no ultra-low sulphur fuel available on the market.

≡ Cleanest ship project
≡ EU transport fuel quality directive
≡ INE on ultra low sulphur fuel
≡ Environmental facts & figures
≡ Creating research results