DUBAI, 28 July 2006 — In a bid to safeguard the marine environment, Dubai Marina Motor Yacht Club has decided to ban all two-stroke outboard engine powered boats on its waterways.
“The two-stroke outboard motors, found on a number of boats and personal watercraft, emit huge quantities of polluting hydrocarbons,” said Joe Goddard, general manager, Dubai Marina Motor Yacht Club.
“It is estimated that one hour of operation by a 70 horse power two-stroke motor emits the same hydrocarbon pollutants as driving 8,000 km in a modern automobile. There is increased concern on the use of these engines on waterways the world over,” said Goddard.
With the ban on the two-stroke outboard engines, the club hopes to build on the marina’s environmental safety.
“The move was imperative in the long run,” said Goddard. “We took the initiative early, so that the waterways can be maintained clean and quiet, and thus add to the pleasure of the boating experience.”
Dubai Marina Motor Yacht Club now berths 170 boats and another 300 berths are being planned. Currently, about one-third of the boats are fitted with two-stroke outboard engines.
“These boat owners can upgrade them to eco-friendly four-stroke engines, which are more fuel efficient and have low emission rates. Four-stroke engines are also more reliable and have low maintenance overheads.”
Pollutants released from two-stroke engines are known to float on water and settle within shallow ecosystems thus critically affecting the marine population.
