Taking into account the increasingly stringent legislation on emissions from marine engines, this work aims to analyze several internal engine modifications to reduce $NO_x$ (nitrogen oxides) and other pollutants. To this end, a numerical model was employed to simulate the operation cycle and characterize the exhaust gas composition. After a preliminary validation process was carried out using experimental data from a four-stroke, medium-speed marine engine, the numerical model was employed to study the influence of several internal modifications, such as water addition from 0 to 100% water to fuel ratios, exhaust gas recirculation from 0 to 100% EGR rates, modification of the overlap timing from 60 to $120^{circ}$, modification of the intake valve closing from 510 to $570^{circ}$, and modification of the cooling water temperature from 70 to $90^{circ}C$. $NO_x$ was reduced by nearly 100%. As expected, it was found that, by lowering the combustion temperature, there is a notable reduction in $NO_x$, but an increase in CO (carbon monoxide), HC (hydrocarbons) and consumption.