State Air Resources Board: regulations: ocean-going vessels: alternative fuels.

Assembly Member Papan's legislation aims to modify California's regulatory framework for ocean-going vessel fuels by establishing new legal presumptions for alternative fuel compliance. The bill adds Section 39633 to the Health and Safety Code, creating automatic compliance status for alternative marine fuels that demonstrate lower carbon intensity than traditional petroleum-based options while meeting International Organization for Standardization specifications.

The measure addresses the current regulatory interpretation of the State Air Resources Board's Ocean-Going Vessel fuel rule, which dates to 2008. Under the proposed changes, alternative fuels meeting specified carbon intensity thresholds would receive presumptive approval for use in auxiliary engines, main engines, and auxiliary boilers on ocean-going vessels. The bill also clarifies that alternative fuel mixtures retain their compliance status even when using pilot fuels, provided those pilot fuels serve only to facilitate alternative fuel operation rather than act as a primary fuel source.

This regulatory adjustment comes as the maritime industry increases its adoption of alternative fuel vessels, with nearly 1,000 such ships currently in operation and approximately 600 more on order, according to Det Norske Veritas data. The bill's provisions align with California's established emissions reduction targets and the International Maritime Organization's 2023 strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships. The San Pedro Bay Ports have documented reductions in nitrogen oxides by 72 percent, sulfur oxides by 98 percent, and diesel particulate matter by 91 percent since 2005, while the Port of Oakland reports an 86-percent decrease in diesel particulate matter and 40-percent reduction in nitrogen oxides through 2020.