Mediterranean Sea becomes fifth ECA
Ships operating in or through the Mediterranean Sea will have to burn fuel oil with a sulphur content of no more than 0.1% following the entry into force of the Mediterranean Emissions Control Area (ECA) last week. The new ECA establishes new limits on sulphur oxides and particulate matter.
The Mediterranean ECA is the world’s fifth, joining the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the North America region, covering designated coastal areas off the US and Canadian coasts, and the US Caribbean Sea around Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Although Red Sea hostilities have reduced the number of ships navigating to east or west via the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean is still one of the busiest stretches of water in the world. It is estimated that about a fifth of the world’s seaborne trade is shipped through the Mediterranean which stretches about 2,500 miles from east to west.
The new regulation is likely to cause significant fuel management challenges for owners and operators. Bunker ports east of Suez and west of the Strait of Gibraltar are likely to notice a significant increase in business as owners plans to call in for ultra low sulphur fuel oil before their ships traverse Mediterranean waters.
