Warning against stockpiling old two-stroke outboards

The Department of the Environment has announced July 1, 2018, as the date to commence new emission standards for non-road spark ignition engines and equipment (NRSIEE) — which includes all marine engines — with an extended transition of the full implementation of the regulations through to July 2019.

The Australia Marine Engine Council (AMEC) has added a bit more detail to the timetable recently announced for new emissions standards for NRSIEE as we detailed in this prior updated article on outboard emissions.

Originally planned for early 2016, the introduction of the new emissions standards was delayed by a year due to the Federal election. We will now see new emissions standards for all petrol marine engines — outboards, inboards and PWCs — legislated in 2017 and commencing July 1, 2018.

The government Update Paper announced just before Christmas sees the Bill Introduced to Parliament in February/March, with the final bill passed and regulations in place by August 2017.

AMEC emphasises the point that importers will then have up to nine months to plan for final old-tech shipments to arrive.

"The final date for carbie two-stroke imports is announced as June 30, 2018," advised to Gary Fooks, Chair of the Blue Sky Alliance, which is a group of manufacturers and distributors of non-road engine products advocating for the move to low-emission engines.

DON'T STOCKPILE OLD-TECH ENGINES
AMEC says stockpiling of old-tech outboards will be actively discouraged. Importers and dealers will still be able to sell non-compliant engines but only for 12 months after imports stop.

After July 1, 2019, any carbie outboards in stock at dealers or importers must be destroyed or re-exported. Those engines in operation and privately owned are still OK to use. The regulations apply to the sale of new engines only.

Dealers who embrace the changes, and move buyers toward clean engines will gain better margins and more service work, claims Fooks from Blue Sky Alliance.

"Dealers will be tempted to stockpile old-technology outboards and that’s a gamble which may or may not work out," Fooks says.

"A handful of buyers may snap up the last two strokes but many more will invest in compliant engines with solid resale values, assured spare parts availability and not take the risk on old models."

AMEC says the government has listened to industry concerns about evaporative standards and pushed the implementation back to accommodate their call for more time.

EVAPORATIVE STANDARDS
Evaporative standards will be part of the review scheduled for two years after regulation commences. These standards in the USA require low permeation fuel lines and a carbon canister on the vent line.

The Australian standards will be based on the USA EPA rules but, to make it easier for importers, outboards with certification in the USA, EU, Canadian and California (CARB) will all pass.

According to AMEC, the rest of the 20-page Update Paper about new emissions standards for NRSIEE is “more about what won’t happen.”

NO EXEMPTIONS FOR SMALL OUTBOARDS
AMEC says in its news release on this matter that exemptions for small outboard engines were never an idea that would carry water.

"With a carbie 8hp two stroke pushing out 59 per cent more emissions per hour than a 150hp four-stroke outboard, exemptions were never viable," Fooks from Blue Sky Alliance says.

"And to be fair, these emissions standards will also target mowers, generators, chain saws and brushcutters – all below 25hp."

Under the proposed rules, exemptions would only be granted under exceptional circumstances – where no clean alternative is viable.

"The industry is moving quickly in providing consumers with specialised needs," Fooks continues.

"An example of this is the outboard engine developed by BRP for Surf Lifesaving in Australia. Based on the Evinrude military outboards, it is said to provide superior service, lower TCOA, while exceeding emissions standards."

More on the Update Paper.