Additional Resources Save and Share Recent News Smoky Diesel Locomotive Turns Into A Clean Machine December 15, 2006 San Francisco Chronicle On first glance, the hulking locomotive in Union Pacific Railroad's yard near the Port of Oakland looks like any other. But Locomotive 1378 doesn't have any smokestacks -- or the clouds of black smoke that typically puff from the... [more] DTF Releases Report: Retrofitting America's Diesel Engines - A Guide To Cleaner Air Through Cleaner Diesel December 5, 2006 The Diesel Technology Forum recently released a report on improving emissions performance of existing diesel vehicles through increased use of retrofit technologies.  That report, titled Retrofitting America's Diesel... [more] New Diesel Fuel Hitting Pumps Nationwide On October 15 Cuts Pollution, Enables New Low-Emissions Engine Technology October 9, 2006 For Immediate Release: October 10, 2006                           EIGHT MILLION CLEANER TRUCKS AND... [more] Diesel Industry Comments On New Major Clean Air Initiative Unveiled On Capitol Hill June 16, 2005 Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, issued the following statement surrounding today's introduction of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005 by a bipartisan coalition led by U.S. Senator... [more] Displaying results 21 to 24 out of 24 < Previous 1 2 3 4 5

 

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Diesel and American Ports

Diesels are the driving force for almost all commercial water vessels and port operations. Examples include:  

• Large diesel-powered tankers bring natural resource imports into the U.S.
• Diesel helps move American products to our ports and overseas.
• Tugboats tow large barges providing home heating oil during the winter.
• Cruise ships carry vacationers to destinations from Florida to the Caribbean.

Types of Marine Diesels

Marine-based diesels are made up of large low-speed diesels and medium- or high-speed diesels.  

• Large slow-speed diesels have replaced steam turbines as the engine of choice for large ocean vessels. Slow-speed diesels are two-stroke engines that run at low engine revolutions allowing for direct drive applications to turn propellers.
• Medium- to high-speed diesels constitute the bulk of engines on medium and small vessels, including ferries to tug boats.

Regulations and Standards

Port and vessel operators in the U.S. are regulated by both the Clean Air Act and Annex VI of the International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The MARPOL regulation sets limits on nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide emissions from ship exhausts, and the emission of ozone depleting substances. Additional regulations have been proposed by EPA.

Large manufacturers are already producing and designing engines to meet the strictest of environmental standards for marine vessels and port equipment. A number of clean diesel technologies, including cold-ironing (on-shore electrical plug-ins) and retrofitting yard equipment, are proving to be effective air quality solutions at American ports.  

Economic Impact

Some of the largest diesel engines made are used at America’s ports. Roughly 2,000 establishments are engaged in deep water, coastal and inland water transportation – employing 73,000 individuals with a payroll of $2.8 billion.  

Water carriers move 563 million tons of freight each year – worth $76 billion. Nearly all of the bulk carriers that transport oil, ore, wheat, and other goods are diesel powered, as are the containerships that transport the majority of all manufactured imports and exports.  

• Approximately, eight percent of the country's total freight tonnage travels by barge through the 12,000 miles of commercially viable inland channels.
• A total of 650 million tons of freight including, 60 percent of the nation's grain exports, 24 percent of its chemical and petroleum shipments, and 20 percent of its domestic coal are moved through this network all propelled by diesel power.  

There are no viable alternative power sources that provide the efficiency, fuel economy and power of diesel engines for these marine-based services.