Cat’s C280 Engines Meet EPA Tier 4, IMO Tier III

Caterpillar Marine now offers its Cat C280 medium-speed diesel engines for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 and International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III service. The EPA Tier 4 standards applied to all new U.S. flagged vessels starting in January 2014 and IMO III standards will apply to all new vessels entering IMO NOx Emissions Control Areas (NECA) starting in January 2016.

The C280 engines are available in eight-, 12- and 16-cylinder models spanning a power range from 2,300˗5,060 kW as main engines – conventional and diesel electric – and also as auxiliary generator sets. Offering numerous benefits over earlier units, the new engines reduce emissions, consume less fuel and have lower through-life owning and operating costs, according to the manufacturer.

Nathan Kelly, Caterpillar Marine production definition engineer, said the introduction of the Tier 4 engine range enables customers to benefit from the latest NOx emission technology based on selective catalytic reduction (SCR). The choice of SCR over other NOx reducing technologies, Kelly explained, was made based on higher uptime and minimized overall total lifecycle cost. Furthermore, he said, an independent study undertaken by the International Council on Clean Transportation published in March 2014, highlights the benefits of emissions reduction technology and the wide range of companies that have adopted SCR as the most efficient solution for the marine industry.

“SCR was a clear choice for us,” Kelly said. “We have more than 160,000 Tier 4 Final and Interim engines in land-based operations using various NOx-reduction technologies. In marine applications, we specifically chose the best technology to fit the needs of our industry. We view SCR as the preferred option for the commercial marine industry.” 

Outlining the key benefits, Kelly explained, “The C280 is already renowned for its high uptime, reliability and durability, but for these Tier 4 engines our priority was to achieve the lowest lifecycle owning and operating cost. We have succeeded in this by improving engine fuel efficiency. Unlike previous emissions Tiers, our Tier 4 engines can run at optimal fuel efficiency because the SCR system is in place to reduce the higher NOx output. Any concerns about Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) cost are more than offset by the improved fuel efficiency as a result of utilizing the SCR technology.”

Ensuring maximum operating safety at all times is crucial, Kelly added. “Unlike some other NOx reduction technologies, our engines operate without interruption even in the event of SCR failure or running out of DEF. There is no effect on engine operation.”