IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee adopts measures to prote...

IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee adopts measures to protect the environment and human health

Published: 04 October 2024

The 82nd meeting of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82) adopted a resolution to designate the Nusa Penida and Gill Matra Islands in the Lombok Straits as a PSSA as well as designating the Canadian Arctic and Norwegian Sea as Emission Control Areas. Read more to find out about the new requirements for ships.

Designation of the Nusa Penida Islands and Gili Matra Islands in Lombok Strait as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area

The committee designated the Nusa Penida Islands and Gili Matra Islands in Lombok Strait as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA). The designation recognises the area's dual significance: a haven for rich biodiversity and a cornerstone of local economic and cultural identity. The increasing volume of merchant shipping, given the strait's vital role in international trade, was recognised as posing a potential threat to this delicate equilibrium. The proposal includes the newly established routeing systems (traffic separation scheme) adopted at MSC 101 as the Associated Protective Measures which entered into force on 1 July 2020. The traffic separation scheme details can be found in the PDF document below.

Adoption of amendments to MARPOL Annex VI concerning the designation of ECAs

The Committee adopted amendments to MARPOL Annex VI which designated the Canadian Arctic and the Norwegian Sea as Emission Control Areas for Nitrogen Oxides, Sulphur Oxides and Particulate Matter. Amendments will enter into force on 1 March 2026 and members are advised to familiarise themselves with the requirements which prohibit ships from using fuel with a sulphur content greater than 0.10% m/m, or achieve equivalent emission reductions using approved technology, and require all ships constructed after a certain date to comply with NOx Tier III limits as specified in Reg.13 of MARPOL Annex VI.

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