The European Commission has proposed today stricter limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons and particulate matters for new motor boats, sailing boats, jet skis and other recreational crafts.
In summer NOx concentrations of the some six million recreational craft in the European Union can be significant in the areas of big lakes and popular sea shores.
Today’s proposal for a revised Recreational Craft Directive (RCD) will also improve market surveillance, for example by updating the rules on CE marking.
The Recreational Craft Directive covers recreational craft (motor boats, sailing boats etc), personal watercraft (jet skis), their engines and the components which are not used for commercial purposes.
It lays down the safety requirements that manufacturers must meet when designing and manufacturing craft as well as the limits for exhaust and noise emissions from marine propulsion engines.
Stricter limits on exhaust emissions, will include:
• New stricter limits will come into force for the exhaust emission of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Hydrocarbons (HC) and the Particulates (PT).
• The CO-limits are slightly relaxed as a result of the significant decrease of other air pollutants and in order to ensure that the compliance costs to industry remain balanced. However, the relaxation does not lead to a health or safety risk.
• Propulsion engines will be designed and constructed to emit 20% less of HC+NOx emissions and 34% less of particulate matters.
Recreational craft with inboard or stern drive engines without integral exhaust, personal watercraft and outboard engines and stern drive engines with integral exhaust need to be designed, constructed and assembled so that noise emissions do not exceed the current limit values of Level 67 of Maximum Sound Pressure.
A general three year transitional period for the engine manufacturers has been allowed to help the boat building industry adjust their production lines.
In addition, as regards exhaust emission requirements, an additional 3 years has been granted granted to SME engine manufacturers who place the SI engines below 15 kW on the market. This is needed in order to allow SMEs operating in this market segment to avoid financial disruption and to adjust their production to the new rules.
A new requirement will also be introduced to impose mandatory installation of holding tanks to watercraft fitted with toilets in order to contribute to the marine environmental protection.
European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship said: “The fact that recreational boats are becoming more sustainable, will not only benefit our health and the preservation of the marine environment, but also improve the quality of holiday resorts and boost job creation in the tourism industry.
“In addition, recreational craft enterprises will save costs and become more competitive, as they will be able to serve the world market with a single production line."
The vast majority of recreational craft manufacturers (RCD) is active on the EU market and the US market and two thirds of worldwide sales of recreational marine engines are produced at both markets. Currently US legislation regulating the exhaust emissions is stricter than the EU rules.
Some EU Member States have undertaken efforts to reduce emissions from recreational craft by resorting to national measures for speed limits or ban of boats in specific areas. In order to protect the environment, ensure a global market for RCD and to prevent national single solutions leading to a fragmentation of the Internal Market it was seen as necessary to strengthen the exhaust emissions at EU level.
Approximately 6 millions of recreational crafts are in use in Europe. The recreational marine activities across Europe involve some 37 000 companies which represent a wide range of activities such as marinas, boat builders, engine or marine equipment manufacturers, hire charter and sailing schools, marine solicitors, insurance brokers etc. This sector which is gradually recovering from the economic crisis directly employs today some 272 000 workers.
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