American emission control area now in effect
The North American Emission Control Area
(ECA), under the International Convention
for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL), came into effect on 1 August
2012, bringing in stricter controls on
emissions of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen
oxides (NOx) and particulate matter for ships
trading off the coasts of Canada, the United
States and the French overseas collectivity of
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI
(Regulations for the prevention of air pollution
from ships) to establish the North American
ECA entered into force on 1 August 2011,
with a 12-month period before becoming
effective.
There are now three designated ECAs
in effect globally, the other two being SOx
ECAs in the Baltic Sea area and the North
Sea area.
A fourth area, the United States
Caribbean Sea ECA, covering certain
waters adjacent to the coasts of Puerto
Rico and the United States Virgin
Islands, was designated under MARPOL
amendments adopted in July 2011, with
expected entry into force on 1 January
2013, with the new ECA taking effect 12
months later on 1 January 2014.
Within ECAs, fuel oil sulphur content
(expressed in terms of % m/m – that is, by
weight) must be no more than 1.00% m/m;
falling to 0.10% m/m on and after 1 January 2015.
This compares to 3.50% m/m outside an
ECA, falling to 0.50% m/m on and after 1
January 2020. (Depending on the outcome
of a review, to be completed by 2018, as to
the availability of compliant fuel oil, this date
could be deferred to 1 January 2025.)
In practice, this means ships must burn
fuel oil with a lower sulphur content within
an ECA. Alternatively, the ship may use any
“fitting, material, appliance or apparatus or
other procedures, alternative fuel oils, or
compliance methods”, which are at least as
effective in terms of emissions reductions, as
approved by the Party to MARPOL Annex VI.
In terms of NOx emissions, marine diesel
engines installed on a ship constructed on
or after 1 January 2011 must comply with
“Tier II” standard as set out in regulation 13
of MARPOL Annex VI. Marine diesel engines
installed on a ship constructed on or after
1 January 2016 will be required to comply
with a more stringent Tier III NOx standard
when operated in a designated NOx Emission
Control Area.