xvEPA United States Office of Transportation and Air Quality Environmental Protection EPA-420-F-14-060 Agency November 2014 EPA Guidance on Use of Distillate Fuel for North American ECA Compliance Question: Does the U.S. Government require the use of lower sulfur distillate (such as 15 ppm distillate fuel) for compliance with the 0.10% m/m ECA fuel sulfur standard, which begins 1 January 2015, if no other compliant fuel is available? Answer: Yes. Beginning 1 January 2015, under Annex VI, the North American and United States Caribbean Sea EGAs require that the sulfur content of the fuel oil used onboard ships operating in these areas may not exceed 0.10% m/m. The United States expects that a ship will use any compliant fuel that is available containing no more than 0.10% m/m sulfur content, including using distillate fuel or marine gas oil with a much lower sulfur content, even at or below 15 ppm sulfur. In the instance that engine operating requirements, or fuel parameters such as flashpoint or viscosity, are a concern with the use of a lower sulfur marine distillate, please see EPA's Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report guidance. Fuel oil that complies with the 0.10% m/m sulfur standard is expected to be available for ships that plan to operate in the North American and United States Caribbean Sea EGAs. ------- |