DNV: North-east Atlantic joins expanding network of ECAs

Classification society DNV on Wednesday (17 June) highlighted key information on the new North-East Atlantic ECA, which will enter into force on 1 September 2027 following recent amendments MARPOL Annex VI adopted at MEPC 84, creating a continuous emissions control area across much of the North Atlantic: 

Need to Know

• The new North-East Atlantic ECA will enter into force on 1 September 2027, creating a continuous emissions control area across much of the North Atlantic.
• SOx limits (0.10% sulphur) will apply from 1 September 2028.
• Ships meeting the MARPOL “three‑date” criteria (from 1 January 2027 onward) must comply with Tier III NOx limits for engines above 130 kW when operating in the ECA.

North-East Atlantic ECA

In general, the ECAs are designed to reduce air pollution from NOx, SOx and PM, and play a vital role in protecting sensitive marine environments as well as improving air quality for nearby communities.

The latest addition is the North-East Atlantic ECA, covering the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and territorial seas of Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and mainland UK that are not already included in existing ECAs. The EEZs surrounding Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands will be excluded. The precise ECA boundaries are defined by exact coordinates in Appendix VII of the revised MARPOL Annex VI.

Once in force, this designation will create a continuous ECA across the North-East Atlantic, linking the Canadian Arctic, Norwegian Sea, North Sea and Mediterranean Sea ECAs into a single, connected regulatory area.

Application

The North-East Atlantic ECA, as part of the next amendments to Annex VI of MARPOL, will enter into force on 1 September 2027. The effective dates will be as follows:

SOx requirements

The sulphur limits for new North-East Atlantic ECA take effect 12 months after entry into force, in other words on 1 September 2028. From that date onwards, ships must use fuel with a sulphur content of no more than 0.10%.

Alternatively, compliance may be achieved using exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) when operating on higher-sulphur fuels. However, it should be noted that restrictions on the use of open-loop EGCSs are becoming increasingly stringent, particularly in the coastal waters of northern Europe under OSPAR (please refer to our Technical and Regulatory News No. 26/2025), thereby limiting this as a practical compliance option in the region.

Note: The full article by DNV can be read here. 

Photo credit: william william on Unsplash and DNV
Published: 19 June, 2026