IMO Adopts Largest Emission Control Area in North-East Atlantic

The IMO has formally adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI establishing the North-East Atlantic as a new Emission Control Area (ECA) for NOx, SOx, and particulate matter. The amendments will enter into force on 1 September 2027, with ECA requirements effective from September 2028. The ECA covers territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, and Portugal, extending up to 200 nautical miles from their baselines. It connects with existing ECAs in the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Canadian Arctic. Ships operating in the area must comply with a 0.10% fuel sulphur limit and stricter NOx Tier III requirements for newbuildings. Research estimates the ECA could reduce SOx emissions by 82%, PM2.5 by 64%, black carbon by 36%, and NOx by 71%, potentially preventing 4,300 premature deaths and saving €29 billion in health costs between 2030 and 2050. This move signals continued progress on regional air pollution regulation despite challenges in global GHG negotiations.