New emission control areas (ECAs) encompassing the Canadian Arctic and the Norwegian Sea are due to formally enter into force on March 1, 2026, as Ship & Bunker reports based on a recent advisory from Bureau Veritas.
The ECAs are established under amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, which were adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee at MEPC 82 in October 2024, according to the publication.
Sulfur Compliance: A Two-Stage Rollout
While the amended regulations take legal effect next month, the primary operational requirement — a 0.10% sulfur fuel limit — will not come into force until March 1, 2027. According to Ship & Bunker, a 12-month grace period has been built into the timeline to give the industry time to put the necessary fuel supply arrangements in place.
From March 2027, vessels operating in either ECA must run on fuel containing no more than 0.10% sulfur by mass, or utilize an approved equivalent arrangement, such as an exhaust gas cleaning system.
NOx Tier III: Different Rules for Each Region
The amendments also introduce NOx Tier III requirements for certain newly built ships, though the applicability criteria differ between the two areas.
In the Canadian Arctic ECA, the requirements cover vessels with a construction date of January 1, 2025 or later. In the Norwegian Sea ECA, eligibility is based on a combination of contract, keel-laying, and delivery dates — with the standards applying to ships delivered on or after March 1, 2030, as reported by Ship & Bunker.
The new designations bring tighter sulfur and NOx controls to ships operating in both the Canadian Arctic and Norwegian Sea, extending the IMO’s established emissions framework to these waters.
