REMPEC, the IMO-administered marine pollution emergency response centre in the Mediterranean conducted a regional workshop to identify and address any barriers for Mediterranean coastal States concerning political, legal and technical obstacles that challenge ratification and subsequently the effective implementation of MARPOL Annex VI air pollution and energy efficiency regulations.
Namely, the workshop focused on the draft technical and feasibility study, provided by REMPEC, to address the possibility of designating the Mediterranean Sea or parts, as sulphur oxides emission control area (ECA) under MARPOL Annex VI.
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A Mediterranean ECA would imply a reduction to 0.1% m/m for the sulphur content of fuel oil used on board ships in the area.
During the workshop, although the European Commission and France presented two different studies, they both provided similar results.
Specifically, a Mediterranean ECA would result in crucial health and environmental advantages, fewer cases of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths avoided per year and also, favourable cost effectiveness comparison for costs and health benefits.
The result of the workshop and studies are to support the Mediterranean process. This will be further discussed by the SOx ECA(s) Technical Committee of Experts in spring 2019.
The workshop that took place at the headquarters of Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) on December 11-13, had participants from 16 Mediterranean coastal States, the European Union, IMO, HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission) and a local NGO identified the main obstacles to ratification and effective implementation and explored possibilities for (sub)regional application and enforcement of the Annex VI provisions in the Mediterranean.
Finally, the workshop was supported by IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme, the Mediterranean Trust Fund and a voluntary contribution from the Government of France.
