Resumen
Freight transport is an essential issue to the competitiveness of territories but the negative impact that it induces, like polluting emissions and their physical consequences on public health, have received growing attention in recent years. Policy makers set goals for sustainable development transportation. Since 1 January 2014, all new trucks have to be powered with a Euro 6 certified engine. Inland waterways are used for transportation of goods and are recognized for their contribution towards sustainable development therefore, engine's barges are old and emission of air pollutants are significant. Currently, the emission limits for inland waterway barges are defined in the Directive 97/86/CE on non-road mobile machinery. That emission limits are similar to Euro 2. The Euro 6 regulations reduced significantly the emission limits. The European Commission has recently proposed a revision of the Directive 97/86/CE which will significantly reduce emission limits. Development of new engines for the small market of small barges in France and also in Europe will be very expensive. Small barges owners should not be able to afford investments in new engines. The range of road engine power is similar to the small barges one. Using Euro 6 heavy duty engines will permit to reach low emissions of air pollutants and should be less expensive for small barges owners. A technical feasibility study had been carried out. It was based on an approach of all parameters of the re-power existing barges. Stakeholder's interviews permitted to deepen same specific topics. The technical feasibility study, added with expected environmental effect, has shown that no technical impossibility had been identified, but some key technical issues have to be considered. It has also confirmed re-powering existing barges (same propulsion power value, no change in naval transmission, etc.) with Euro 6 truck engines is interesting to limit significantly emission air pollutants. The on-board diagnostic controls monitor the engine's exhaust treatment and, it's important to adapt this monitoring for engines used in barges.