World’s largest Emission Control Area adopted by IMO

Last week’s IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 84) proceeded with the adoption of an Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Northeast Atlantic, which will now enter into force in September 2027. 
 


After falling short of adoption during a turbulent IMO meeting last October, coastal states have now moved to drastically reduce air pollution from ships in a sea area stretching from Portugal to Greenland, via Britain and Ireland.
 


The Atlantic ECA will significantly expand the socio-economic, environmental, and health benefits for a large number of coastal communities as well as marine, coastal, and terrestrial habitats and wildlife along the North-East Atlantic region.

 Environmental groups welcomed adoption of the North East Atlantic Emission Control Area, along with some progress made on underwater noise and marine pollution from scrubbers, but urged the IMO to ramp up efforts on curbing shipping’s black carbon impacts on the Arctic.