International Maritime Organization Approves World's Largest Emission Control Area In The North-East Atlantic Ocean

In a significant decision, the International Maritime Organization’s 83rd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC83) has approved the creation of a new Emission Control Area (ECA) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. This ECA introduces stricter regulations on emissions from ships, with considerable benefits for both environmental protection and public health. It will be the world’s largest ECA to date.

The decision follows an official submission to the MEPC 83 of the research conducted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) in collaboration with Porto University, demonstrating the proposal’s potential for reducing emissions while also benefiting public health and the environment. This research has been approved and submitted by all 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission. The new ECA will cover the territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of the Faroe Islands, France, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom—a region home to more than 190 million people. It will serve as a link between existing ECAs in the Baltic, North, and Mediterranean Seas, and connect them to those recently approved in the Norwegian Sea and Canadian Arctic.

International shipping emits significant levels of pollutants. Stricter regulations under the new ECA is expected to reduce sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions by up to 82%, particulate matter (PM2.5) by 64%, and black carbon (BC) by 36%. Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions will decline by up to 71% over time with fleet renewal. As a result, the North-East Atlantic ECA is expected to prevent up to 4,300 premature deaths between 2030 and 2050 and save up to €29 billion in health-related costs. It will also benefit coastal communities, including Indigenous groups in the Arctic, who are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution.

Moreover, the ECA will play a key role in protecting the region’s marine biodiversity and cultural heritage, covering over 1,500 marine protected areas, 17 important marine mammal habitats, and 148 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Reducing shipping emissions is crucial to prevent further pollution and ocean acidification threatening these ecosystems.

ICCT Senior Researcher Liudmila Osipova, who led ICCT’s research on the North-East Atlantic ECA, welcomes the decision: “The approval of this Emission Control Area reflects a strong international commitment to cleaner shipping. It’s a crucial step toward improving air quality and protecting public health and marine ecosystems for the long term.”