Caterpillar's total solution for all power needs

Stage V engines inland shipping

The inland shipping ambitions under the Green Deal are significant, with the ultimate goal of nearly emission-free and climate-neutral inland shipping by 2050. The new EU Stage V legislation plays an important role in achieving this ambition. The same can be said for Caterpillar's total solution for inland shipping, the EU Stage V system.

for all power needs

Caterpillar's EU stage V System

Stage V encompasses the entire engine installation of the ship, not just the propulsion engine. Caterpillar's EU Stage V system offers a total solution that is available for all power needs, ranging from 60 to 1,350 kW. Caterpillar is the only provider offering a comprehensive Stage V program.

The engines are tested and certified in Caterpillar factories in the USA and the UK and are delivered complete to Pon Power. The system includes the propulsion engine, auxiliary engines, generator set(s), and the exhaust gas after-treatment system developed by Caterpillar, including all necessary cabling, a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR), DEF pump, and dosing system. It is a single product with one warranty certificate.

A central computer on the engine controls the entire system, ensuring efficient combustion and the cleanest possible operation across the entire usage profile. For constant monitoring and remote insights into current fuel consumption, alarm notifications, load factors, and expected maintenance, you can use Remote Fleet Vision.

In short, Caterpillar provides everything you need, and you have the convenience of a single point of contact and service: Pon Power, the official Cat dealer in the Netherlands.

“You receive an A1 emission label if you use 100% HVO in an existing Caterpillar engine installation that meets Stage V emission requirements. HVO can be used without modifications in Caterpillar engines produced after 1990.”

what makes caterpillar's stage v engines unique

What makes Caterpillar's Stage V engines so unique is that they are compatible with biofuels, cover the entire inland shipping power range, and score at the top of the Inland Waterway Emission Label. This performance label, which came into effect in 2022, consists of two components: climate emissions (CO2) and air quality (NOx, PM). It provides a certain rating for emission performance, meaning adapted engines that meet EU Stage V emission standards are also recognized.

You receive an A1 emission label if you use 100% HVO fuel in an existing Caterpillar engine installation that meets Stage V emission standards because fossil greenhouse gas emissions drop by 97% in this case. HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) can be used without modifications in Caterpillar engines produced after 1990 and is of the same quality as the fossil fuel EN590. HVO is more expensive than EN590, but no modifications to the engine or fuel tanks are necessary. If you have a Caterpillar, you can switch to it today. Various Cat engines have been operating on 100% HVO for many years worldwide, as well as on all ratios between EN590 and HVO.

The letters A to E represent the amount of harmful greenhouse gas emissions, such as CO2 and methane. The numbers 0 to 5 represent emissions that worsen air quality and health, such as soot, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen. The (temporary) voluntary labeling system was introduced to encourage and make more visible the greening process.

Only fully electric sailing with batteries and/or green hydrogen and fuel cells achieves A0, as no combustion engine is necessary in this case. However, the investment required is so significant that it is not comparable to a new or existing ship that meets all Stage V emission standards.

Shippers are expected to use this labeling system when distributing assignments. The better your label, the more cargo you are allowed to transport. Additionally, the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCR) is studying the possibility of a mandatory contribution to a sustainability fund. The amount of this contribution is related to the sustainability level of the inland vessel. Entrepreneurs who want to make their ships more sustainable can subsequently apply for support from this fund.

Sustainable future prospects for inland shipping

Not only can you achieve an A1 label with a Caterpillar Stage V engine installation and 100% HVO, but also with the alternative fuel green methanol. A small yet growing percentage of methanol is produced from renewable resources such as biomass, rather than natural gas, or by using green electricity, where you first produce hydrogen and then combine it in a catalyst with captured CO2 or CO2 released from biomass. This methanol is called green methanol because this method creates a carbon cycle, the natural cycle of carbon between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere.

At Caterpillar, significant efforts are underway to develop methanol engines. The first pilot engines are expected to be operational in the field by 2024. Caterpillar aims to keep them as simple as possible and is testing various injection systems to thoroughly understand the pros and cons of each technique.

For existing engines, methanol retrofit kits are being developed. Retrofitting to methanol is attractive because, like 100% HVO, green methanol is a CO2-free renewable fuel. This upgrade improves your emission label, which can rise to A1 with a simple Caterpillar after-treatment system.

At the time of publishing this article, 8 newly built ships have been equipped with Caterpillar Stage V engines, and several new construction projects are already planned for 2023. The expectation is that these new Stage V combustion engines will last at least as long as their predecessors, averaging 30 years or 100,000 operating hours. Combine that with the environmentally friendly biofuel HVO, and you can see inland shipping advancing towards sustainability at full speed in the near future!

2050

The ultimate ambition is nearly emission-free and climate-neutral inland shipping by 2050, in the netherlands.

01-01-26

The dutch 'Temporary Subsidy Scheme for the Sustainability of Inland Vessels' expires on 01-01-26.

60 - 1.350

Caterpillar offers a total solution with its EU Stage V system for all power ranges, from 60 to 1,350 kW.