b'LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTAT THE HELM Marine Propulsion: Navigating Towards a Greener HorizonPATRICK MURPHY // PRESIDENTT hisisanexcitingtimeinourindustryasacombina- THE ROLE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS have playedtionofregulatorypressureandtechnologicalinno- Continued improvements and innovationvationhavecreatedacleanerandmoreefficientdie- pivotalrolesinenhancingandreducingemissionsthroughselenginewhilealsocreatingalternativetechnologieswhich improvedfueleconomy.Forexample,modernfuelinjec-contributetoahealthierplanetforfuturegenerations. tionsystemsensureamoreprecisedeliveryoffuel,lead-ingtobettercombustionandloweremissions.Also,theTraditionally,dieselengineshavebeenvaluedfortheirro- explorationofalternativeandhybridfuelshasexpandedbustnessandefficiencybuthavealsobeencriticizedfortheir the possibilities for diesel engines to achieve better fuelenvironmental impact, emit- efficiencyandloweremissions.ting particulate matter (PM) These fuels, when producedandoxidesofnitrogen(NOx), The advancements inusing renewable energy, of-bothofwhichcontributetoair electric small passengerfer a substantial decrease inpollution. Regulatory bodies emissions. Further, hydrogen,such as the Environmental vessels represent a pivotalmethanol,andammoniaarenotProtectionAgency(EPA)and, shift in the maritimecommonlyusedinourindustryfor those of us in California, butmaypresentasignificantre-the California Air Resources domain. With theductioninpollutantscomparedBoard(CARB),havedeveloped industry moving towardstoconventionalmarinefuelsintoughemissionsrulestodrive electrification, the futurethefuture.theindustrytowardsacleanerfuture.Inresponse,significant of waterway travel is FUTURE OUTLOOKadvancementshavebeenmade set to be cleaner, quieter,Recentyearshaveseenasurgetoenhancetheenvironmental in the development of electricperformance of marine diesel and more efficient.propulsionsystems,particularlyengines.ThereductioninNOx for small passenger vessels. AandPMemissionsissubstantial,contributingtoimproved variety of electric propulsionairqualityandpublichealth.Today,Tier4marinediesel systemsarenowavailable,thankstoadvancementsinmo-enginesaresignificantlycleanerthantheolderTier0and bilitytechnologiesaimedatdecarbonization.FromelectricTier1enginesIgrewupwithintheindustry.TheTier4 motorspoweredbyrenewableenergysourcestofuelcells,engineemitsapproximately93percentlessNOxand94per- theoptionsareexpanding.centlessPM.However,achievingthesereductionsinvolvestheuseofadvancedafter-treatmentsystems,suchasselec- Theadvancementsinelectricsmallpassengervesselsrep-tivecatalyticreduction(SCR)forNOxanddieselparticu- resentapivotalshiftinthemaritimedomain.Withthelatefilters(DPF)forPMandfindingspaceonapassenger industrymovingtowardselectrification,thefutureofwa-vesselfortheseaddedcomponentsisagiantchallenge.Not terwaytravelissettobecleaner,quieter,andmoreefficient.tomentiontheaddedweighttoanexistingvesselwhichwill Astechnologycontinuestoevolve,wecanexpecttoseeancauseownerstoperformanewstabilitytestandprobably increasingnumberofelectricvesselsmakingwavesinthelosepassengercapacity. yearstocome.Continued on page 43FOGHORN 4'