Boswell Engineering (Boswell) was contracted by AccuTech Environmental Services, Inc. to assist Weeks Marine, Inc. (WMI) with their regulatory compliance issues. WMI had taken a corporate initiative to implement a regulatory compliant policy at its shipyards. Currently, Boswell assisted WMI with air related issues at the Camden Shipyard in Camden, NJ and Greenville Shipyard in Jersey City, NJ. Both shipyards serve as maintenance depots for WMI’s fleet of marine equipment.

Based on the air emissions facility audit, Boswell developed a comprehensive permitting strategy to bring the Camden and Greenville Shipyards into regulatory compliance in accordance with NJAC Title 7, Chapter 27, and any applicable Federal and local regulations. The main goal was to work with WMI staff to develop an air permit that would allow the influx of different potential emission emitting equipment without the submittals of new permits and/or submit modifications to existing permits.

WMI also has a unique setup on a floating barge which allows equipment to be mobile in support of their dredging operations; this included fossil fuel and process equipment for the mixing of dredged materials with cement slurry. Boswell assisted WMI in complying with the floating barge specific requirements listed in the compliance section of the NJDEP air permit. Boswell reviewed the compliance plan and developed a checklist for field personnel to capture all required data for compliance. Utilizing the collected data, Boswell performed engineering calculations to determine emission from the different processes, including emissions for the dredged materials.

In addition, Boswell assisted in the Global Terminal dredging and pier extension project for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Boswell’s role on this contract was to act as an independent “Air Emissions Consultant” for WMI to certify the Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) emission calculations, ensuring compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act, and limiting the emission of NOx produced by combustion of fossil fuels. NOx emissions were calculated for all marine based equipment, with a maximum horsepower output of greater than or equal to 25 hp. For this project, fossil fuel burning equipment included hopper dredge, clamshell, excavator, blast barge, crew boats and ocean tow.