The APL SINGAPORE at that time operated on APL’s PS2 (Asia to North America) route. The eastbound and westbound routes are shown below.

Emission Control Technologies

Two emission control technologies were installed on the main engine of the APL SINGAPORE for use on California calls: a fuel/ water emulsion system and slide-valves. Water in fuel emulsion is the process of introducing water into the fuel prior to injection into the combustion cylinder. Introducing water into the combustion cylinder reduces the maximum peak combustion temperature and the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The in-cylinder evaporation of the water also improves the atomization of the fuel causing it to burn more completely. This system was installed and connected to the ship’s main engine and was expected to yield a 1% reduction in NOx for every 1% concentration of water in the emulsion. Different concentrations of water were tested to determine the emulsion level that best reduces emissions. NOx reductions up to 25% are expected from this control technology.

Particulate Matter (PM) is a product of incomplete combustion, and unburned fuel; therefore the optimization of the fuel injection system was expected to result in the reduction of fuel consumption and a reduction of PM emissions. Slide valves were installed on the vessel’s main engine and differ from conventional valves in their spray patterns that are designed to reduce the dripping of fuel from the injector into the combustion zone post injection. The slide valves were expected to reduce PM emissions by about 25%.

Additional Funding

The funding for this project came from a number of different agencies. In 2005, the District supported an application by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) for funding from the CARB Multi-district Carl Moyer funding program. The application was successful in securing grant funds that, when combined with the EPA contribution covered the purchase and installation of the control technology, allowing the other funds to be used to cover the emissions testing costs. In an effort to expedite the testing coordination process, District staff volunteered to accept funding from project partners and contract with the emissions testing contractors selected for the project. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in addition to the Ventura County, San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County air districts contributed funds towards the testing portion of the project. The installation of the emulsification equipment was completed in early 2007 and the emissions testing began in March/April 2007.

APL Media Event aboard the APL SINGAPORE: December 4, 2006

Speaker panel for the APL media event (from left to right): Eric Hutchingame – Sea to Sky Pollution Solutions; John Bowe – President of APL (Americas); Wayne Nastri – US EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator; Mike Zampa – APL Director of Corporate Communications (Americas); Jean Roggenkamp – BAAQMD Deputy APCO; and Dr. Wayne Miller – UC Riverside, Emissions and Fuels Manager.

District visit to the APL Singapore October 15, 2007

In October 2007, Tom Murphy, Ron Tan, and Anthony Fournier from the District visited the APL SINGAPORE at the Port of Los Angeles. The vessel had just returned from its voyage across the Pacific. On this voyage, an emissions testing crew studied the emissions characteristics of the vessel’s main engine and auxiliary engine under different conditions (including the use of emulsified fuels in the main engine).

During the visit to the ship District staff witnessed the installation of some of the slide valves that were purchased as part of the demonstration project to reduce emissions. The emission testing was to continue as the vessel departed Los Angeles for Oakland, at which point the emissions testing crew would depart the vessel. See below for pictures from the visit.