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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Coast Goard have authorized formal exemptions to Royal Caribbean that will give the cruise line time to develop and install exhaust gas scrubber systems on its cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean announced last week that it was adding the scrubbers to 13 of its cruise ships from the current base of six ships that have the technology.

Royal Caribbean’s research program has developed exhaust gas scrubber technology that is said to have the potential to provide greater emission reductions than would be achieved using only ECA-compliant low sulphur fuel, and at a much lower cost.

Under the research program extension, the 13 Royal Caribbean ships covering a range of vessel sizes and applications are to begin using the scrubbers in 2015.

The permits provide a temporary relief from the ECA's fuel sulphur content requirements. It will enable Royal Caribbean to meet its emission requirements through exhaust gas scrubber technology, rather than with engine and fuel system modifications. The trial program is also expected to provide information on developing advanced emissions control technologies for other marine engines.