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Introduction (1 June 2020)

Since the introduction of the ABS Guide for the Class Notation Environmental Safety (ES) in March 2001, technological advancements have occurred that help to diminish the impact of environmental discharges. Also, international treaties and conventions, aimed at further protecting the environment, have introduced more stringent requirements towards the prevention of environmental pollution.

This Guide has been developed with the objective of promoting an environmentally focused design, construction, and operation of ABS-classed vessels. The requirements specified in this Guide are additional to all other relevant requirements of ABS Rules and Guides. This Guide identifies a foundational level which establishes that a vessel complies with international environmental regulations and associated ABS Rules or Guides which are aimed at enhancing environmental protection. In addition, it establishes standards for a higher level of environmental protection that can be achieved through compliance with more stringent criteria related to design characteristics, management and support systems, sea discharges, and air discharges.

This Guide is for the use of designers, builders, Owners, and Operators in the marine industry and specifies the ABS requirements and criteria for obtaining the optional notations Environmental Protection (ENVIRO) in Section 2, Environmental Protection Plus (ENVIRO+) in Sections 3, Low Emissions Vessel (LEV) in Section 4 and NOx-Tier III Notation in 2/37. The ENVIRO notation identifies the level of compliance with international environmental protection requirements and integrates associated ABS requirements which influence environmental protection. For the ENVIRO+ notation, this Guide invokes compliance with more stringent criteria for environmental protection related to design characteristics, management and support systems, sea discharges, and air discharges.

The optional notation LEV recognizes that the specified marine diesel engines on the vessel meet stricter gaseous and particulate emissions limits than those regulated by MARPOL Annex VI.

The NOx-Tier III notation identifies that all marine diesel engines on the vessel are in compliance with the Tier III NOx limits of Regulation 13 of Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78, as outlined in 2/37 of this Guide.