Other news from this ISM News Update:

• Safety improvement sheet no.13 – Caught in Action
• Updated ISPS Security Interpretations for ships flying the flag of the Netherlands
• Safety Improvement Sheet No. 14: Disrupted GPS Signals
• Ship Security Plan, Cyber Security measures and Cross Reference for download
• Additional information on Resolution MSC.581(110), specifically on CO₂ as a risk

Emission Control in the North Atlantic

At MEPC 84, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI establishing the North-East Atlantic Emission Control Area (ECA), creating one of the world’s largest ECAs for controlling NOx, SOx and particulate matter (PM).
The new ECA will enter into force on 1 September 2027, with compliance requirements applying from September 2028. It covers the territorial seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Portugal, extending up to 200 nautical miles from their baselines. Together with existing ECAs, it forms an almost continuous emission-controlled shipping corridor across the Northern Hemisphere.For shipowners and operators, the key implications are:

• Compliance with the 0.10% sulphur fuel limit within the ECA.
• NOx Tier III requirements for applicable newbuildings.
• Review of voyage planning, bunker procurement, scrubber strategies and charterparty clauses well before 2028.
• Immediate consideration of the new requirements for vessels currently under design or construction.

While MEPC 84 did not finalize the IMO’s Net-Zero framework, it significantly expanded the geographical scope of emission control regulations, making early preparation essential for operators trading in the North Atlantic.

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